Catti brie's Capture
by Calendae
Summary: Drizzt and Catti-brie finally admit their feelings for each other, but an old enemy is trying to get his revenge. Can Drizzt save them both in time? FINISHED!
1. Together At Last

"What a beautiful day." Drizzt remarked to his companion, Catti-brie. The couple were sitting out away from everyone on the trails near Ten- Towns, the trails they both knew so well. Sitting side by side they watched the clouds lazily glide by overhead. They had been at this very spot since the sun had risen. They just sat together enjoying each other's company, saying only a few words now and then.  
"That one looks like a bird." Catti-brie pointed out a cloud to Drizzt. His eyes followed the direction of her hand. He frowned slightly.  
"A bird?" his voice was full of skepticism. He continued on. "It looks more like a fish from my viewpoint."  
"No, it's a bird all right! Look, see its wings?" In response Drizzt shook his head causing his long white mane to fall over his shoulders.  
"Where are ye keen drow eyes? Humph. Some eyes ye got. Can't even tell a stinkin' bird from any 'o fish!" she said mockingly to Drizzt.  
"What kind of eyes do you have? It's amazing you can shoot your arrows so accurately but you can't tell a fish from a bird." Drizzt said jokingly to Catti-brie.  
"Ye good fer nothin' elf!" she shouted as she turned and leaped at him. Using his quick reflexes and finely honed muscles he quickly moved out of her way. She fell face first into the ground. Drizzt couldn't help but laugh. He stopped abruptly as he realized that Catti-brie hadn't moved.  
"Are you alright?" he asked her as he moved over to see if she was all right. As he moved closer and bent down to see what was wrong she leaped up at him. With no time to react, Drizzt was plowed over by her attack. The two rolled around in the grass one trying to pin the other down. In the midst of the mock battle Drizzt called Guenhwyvar.  
"Help me, my friend!" Drizzt shouted to the panther. The panther just looked at the two. Her ears bristled and she lay down.  
Catti-brie and Drizzt were to busy laughing to even notice. As soon as one thought they had the upper hand the other would push them up off of the leading position.  
"Guen! Help!" Catti-brie called to the panther as Drizzt had her firmly held to the ground. The panther decided to join in on the fun and she leaped over and knocked Drizzt off of Catti-brie. Catti-brie watched the panther and the drow struggle with each other. Within a few seconds Drizzt was pinned under the six hundred pound panther. Catti-brie came over.  
"Admit it was a bird and maybe I'll call Guen off." Catti-brie said sassily. She crouched down and looked straight into Drizzt's face. He wheezed for sympathy, but didn't look into her eyes directly. She turned around and began talking again.  
"Maybe a little longer under yer cat will teach ye!" Catti-brie said. She turned around to see if her point had gotten across. To her surprise the cat was gone and Drizzt was coming at her full tilt. She gasped as Drizzt leaped and once again pinned her to the ground. Soon he was on top of her, holding her to the ground.  
"Admit defeat! You know it was a fish!" Drizzt said as he looked down at her beautiful face. She smiled softly up at Drizzt who was now just inches from her face.  
"Ye cheated when ye called Guen off." Catti-brie said softly. He slowly loosened the hold on her pinned down arms. "Guenhwyvar has to listen to her master." He said to her. She smiled but said nothing. He finally completely released his hold on her arms and he just looked down into her sparkling blue eyes. He just wanted to kiss her right then and there but he wasn't sure if he should. He didn't want to hurt the beautiful friendship that had come to grow between them. Catti- brie looked up at him with questioning eyes, as if asking him to share his feelings. He sighed as he looked down at her again. 

"Drizzt? What's wrong with ye?" Catti-brie asked Drizzt as she heard him sigh heavily. He looked away from her eyes, which now held a lot of concern. He still didn't reply as he moved so he was now sitting next to her. She slowly got up from the grass and sat up next to Drizzt. She pulled her knees up to her chest before she asked him again. "Drizzt?" He looked up at her. He sighed deeply again and he didn't answer right away. How was he supposed to tell her how he felt? He started absentmindedly playing with the hem of his cloak before Catti-brie grabbed his hands forcing him to look up at her. "Ye can tell me anythin' ye know that." She paused making sure her point hit home. "I'll ask ye again, what's th' matter?" Catti-brie earnestly asked Drizzt. She moved some of his hair out of his face when she didn't get an immediate reaction. She could tell it wasn't anything good by the sour expression on his face. Drizzt didn't reply but he just shifted uncomfortably. Catti-brie reached around him and put her arm around his other shoulder. He shivered a bit at her touch but he hoped she didn't notice.  
"What's wrong? I can tell by th' look on yer face that it ain't good, so what's buggin' ye?" she asked him again. When he didn't answer again she asked him one final time. "Damn ye Drizzt! Just tell me what's th' matter wit' ye! If ye don't I'll use Cutter on ye!" He almost had to laugh at her rough dwarven accent, but he retained himself. He decided then and there that he wasn't going to tell her the whole truth about what was wrong. "I'm sorry Catti-brie, I just don't want to burden you with my own turmoil." He said hoping to stop or at least delay any more forth coming questions. She looked him straight in the eyes for a moment before she replied. "Drizzt yer bein' silly! It hurts me more ta know that yer hurtin' inside than for me not ta know what's goin' on. Yer never ever a burden, Drizzt Do'Urden, don't ye ever think that. I'd do anythin' ta help ye so why don't ye let me at least try. Tell me what's wrong Drizzt." Catti-brie said to Drizzt as she gently squeezed his shoulder in assurance, which brought another shiver from Drizzt. He looked down at the ground before he slowly replied. "I was thinking about Ellifain again. I just think she should be walking here enjoying the beautiful day, not me. It doesn't seem right. She was so misguided... I just..." He stopped not knowing how to continue. "...Couldn't help her..." he added softly while looking absently at the ground. Catti-brie knew there was more to the story than that but she decided not to push him any further right now. She reached around him and pulled him close in a warm hug.  
"There was nothing ye could have done, ye know that. It wasn't yer fault. She killed herself. Yer the one that should be here and ye are." She held him a moment longer enjoying the touch of him so near her. "Besides what would I do without ye? I love ye too much!" She added softly into his hair, as soon as she said it her blood ran cold in her veins. Hopefully Drizzt hadn't heard it. What would he think? How would he act? Catti-brie just continued holding him close to her hoping that if he had heard it he won't say anything. However, Drizzt's keen drow ears had allowed him to catch it. "I love you too." Drizzt replied to Catti-brie. She pulled back from the hug to regard him. She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face. He returned the look. "Did ye mean that?" Catti-brie asked timidly, almost as if she was afraid of the answer. He smiled warmly as he reached out and took her hands in his own. How soft and warm his hands are. Catti-brie thought quietly to herself. He almost didn't even need to answer her question. "Only if you meant it." Was his simple reply. Catti-brie knew that she didn't even have to answer his question either. For a long while they stared into each other's eyes, not saying a word. Catti-brie was the first to move. She gently ran he hand along his face without saying a word. He smiled and covered her hand with his own. Then before either of them knew what was happening their lips were touching in a sweet kiss.  
  



	2. The Adventure Begins

I forgot the whole desclaimer thingy. No, I don't own any of these characters as much as I wish I did. I just borrowed them to feed my bored mind. I think that's all. I really hope you enjoy the story. Please read and review, I really appreciate it!!!

"What kinda ore is that? Ye lunkheads! How are we ever ta do anything with this?" Bruenor yelled menacingly at his workers. The two dwarfs just looked at him with wide eyes and looks of terror on their faces.  
"What are ye starein' fer? Get back to work and get me some better ore!" Bruenor growled at his workers. They quickly scurried away from their angry employer in sheer terror. Bruenor laughed and turned away from the sight of his fleeing employees. Still laughing and not paying attention he almost ran into Regis.  
"Rumblebelly! What are ye doin' down here?" Bruenor asked a very fidgety Regis. Before Regis could answer however another voice bellowed up from behind him, a voice Bruenor knew to well. "Me king, me king!" Thibbledorf Pwent yelled loudly towards Bruenor. That was something Bruenor had not been called since he had left Mithrall Hall all those years ago. While Pwent was still out of earshot Bruenor whispered into Regis' ear. "Go find Drizzt and me daughter. Make sure ye hurry! I don't like this already!" So with that Regis scurried off, grumbling the whole way.  
  
Drizzt pulled back from the kiss with a big smile on his face. He laughed with a happiness that could only be compared to the joy he felt when he left the underdark.  
"I guess that means it's official?" Drizzt sarcastically asked. Catti- brie's smile was just as wide as Drizzt's was.  
"I guess so." She replied with a laugh. He smiled and pulled Catti- brie close to him in a warm loving hug. Catti-brie curled up as close to him as possible. He wrapped his arms comfortably around her and she laid her head on his strong chest. She was just about to say something to Drizzt when Regis burst into the clearing. His face was red and he was breathing heavily.  
"Perfect moment." Drizzt muttered loud enough just for Catti-brie to hear. She giggled softly as Regis approached them. Regis looked at them and smiled mischievously. Catti-brie glared at him as she sat up next to Drizzt. Drizzt let one of his arms drop to the ground as the other slid in around her waist.  
"What do ye want Regis?" Catti-brie said quite evenly. Regis returned her glare but he soon burst into laughter. Catti-brie's deadly glare made him change his mind about laughing. He remembered the one time Catti-brie pinned him to a tree upside down for three hours until he apologized for making fun of her hair that morning. The thought sent shivers down his spine. His laughter quickly died down.  
"Bruenor sent me to find you. Pwent is here to see him for some reason." Regis said. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt with an expression of curiosity to which he only shrugged.  
"Pwent is here? In the dale? Do you know why?" Catti-brie questioned the poor halfling. Regis looked from Catti-brie to Drizzt and shrugged his shoulders and sighed loudly.  
"He came early in the morning saying he wanted to see Bruenor but he didn't say why. So I brought him to Bruenor, and now Bruenor sent me to find you. I must be the messenger!" Regis said. He sighed again and he looked dejectedly at the ground. Catti-brie moved away from Drizzt and she went over and patted Regis on the back.  
"It'll be okay Regis." There was a long pause. "Regis, could ye give Wulfgar a message for me?" Regis looked up at her and he scowled. Catti- brie looked at him and laughed. Drizzt snickered at the sight of Regis' scowl.  
"Where is Pwent at?" Drizzt asked after they finished laughing. "In the mines." Regis replied.  
"Well then, let us be off!" Drizzt announced. He walked over to Catti- brie and grabbed her hand.  
"Care to race?" he asked slyly. His eyes twinkled with the idea of the challenge.  
"Ye bet I am!" she exclaimed. And off they went bounding through the forest, as agile and nimble as ever. Regis watched them leave and sighed. He looked down at his growing belly and grimaced. He then leaped off as he hoped he hadn't missed all the fun.


	3. The Group Reunites

I will try to update this story at least twice a week if not more. I would appreciate it if you read my story and replied. Thanks again.

"Are ye off ta Mithral Hall?" Bruenor just looked at him, his gray eyes trying to figure out what the Gutbuster was after. Pwent just looked at him without saying a word.

"Why are ye here then?" Bruenor said impatiently. Pwent continued to remain silent. Just as the thought of killing Pwent was actually making its way to reality, Drizzt, Catti-brie, and Regis walked in.

"He won't tell me why he's here!" Bruenor said as he threw his hands up in disgust.

"Well now that yer group is here I'll tell ye! I figured that yer friends would want ta know!" Pwent said sticking his chin out stubbornly at Bruenor.

"Well do tell!" Bruenor replied with no intention of backing down from the challenge.

"Well th' reason me and me boys is here is because Gandalug has died, may Moradin keep his soul at work." Pwent said as he stared up at the heavens with his hand over his heart. Bruenor nodded his head accordingly. The moment was short lived however.

"Well me and me boys have come ta tell ye that we need ye to go back ta Mithral Hall." Pwent noticed the grimace on Bruenor's face and he quickly added.

"Ye have ta! Yer de King! Yer people are waiting fer ye!" Bruenor looked pleadingly at Drizzt and Catti-brie. Neither of them gave him any sign of approval or disapproval. He sighed and nodded slowly to Pwent. He knew he had his duties to fulfill.

"When will ye need me?" Bruenor asked quietly. His somber tone was lost on Pwent.

"Whoopee! Me king is back! As soon as possible me king, we need ye as soon as possible." Pwent shouted like a maniac. Drizzt spoke up before Bruenor could say anything.

"Of course we will be going with you, that is if you will have us go." Drizzt nudged Catti-brie in the side. She nodded in agreement. Bruenor smiled at the two.

"Alright then we should be ready pretty soon. Right?" He looked over at Drizzt and Catti-brie for approval. They both nodded.

"Shall we see if Wulfgar will join us on our little quest?" Drizzt asked Bruenor. Bruenor nodded his approval and waved them away as he and Pwent continued talking about Mithral Hall. Catti-brie shrugged at Drizzt and the two walked out of the mines.

"Me father didn't seem to happy 'bout leavin' th' dale did he?" The ever perceptive Catti-brie said to Drizzt as the two were walking towards Lonely-Wood.

"I too, noticed his unhappiness. He does not want to have the duties of being a king again. His spirit is much to restless for the tame life of a king." Drizzt offered on that subject. He changed the subject by adding, "But on a lighter note," Catti-brie looked over at him.

"I was about to thank you and…" Drizzt paused not sure how to continue. The two stopped in the road and looked at each other. Drizzt leaned over and kissed Catti-brie lightly on the lips. He pulled back from the kiss and they looked into each other's eyes. Catti-brie smiled at him.

"Just returning the favor." He said softly in her ear as he pulled her close in a hug. Catti-brie smiled into his arms as she squeezed him exceedingly tightly. She finally let him go and she stopped to look at him.

"I can't wait to get back on the road with ye." She said softly as she wrapped an arm around the drow's slender waist. He smiled over at her.

"Nor can I with you. Let us not prolong this any longer, we shall hurry and get Wulfgar." Drizzt said. Catti-brie smiled and Drizzt brought his arm up and draped it around her shoulders. Together they walked arm in arm to Wulfgar's home.

Catti-brie and Drizzt arrived at Wulfgar's home a short while later. It was a very humble little dwelling that Wulfgar and Delly were using temporarily until they got their own. The building itself looked only large enough to house one person comfortably and three people seemed quite a stretch. It was a small cozy little cottage with a wooden log cabin like exterior. In the back of the house there was open fields that went on and on for as far as the eye could see. The house was isolated from just about any other form of civilization.

When the couple approached the house they heard the sound of chopping wood and they saw Wulfgar in the back splitting wood for the upcoming winter season.

"Drizzt, Catti-brie, good to see you!" Wulfgar called out to his friends. Drizzt and Catti-brie approached Wulfgar and the big barbarian gave them each a hug. Drizzt noted that the old Wulfgar was back, there seemed not to be any trace of the trials Wulfgar had gone through in Errtu's clutches. For six years the barbarian was abused mentally and physically by the evil demon. Wulfgar had gone through a period of great inner turmoil from this traumatizing experience. It was good to see he had finally recovered.

"Well what brings you here my friends?" Wulfgar asked. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt expecting to him to explain to Wulfgar what was going on. Drizzt nodded to her and he finally spoke up.

"Well in truth we are here on Bruenor's accord. From what we know the leader of Mithral Hall has died and they need Bruenor to take back his spot as king of Mithral Hall." Wulfgar nodded his head taking it all in.

"He wanted to know if you will accompany us on the journey." Drizzt concluded. Wulfgar at first seemed shocked by the proposition by he regained his composure.

"I don't know, with Delly and Colson and…" Wulfgar was cut off by a sharp voice.

"Delly and Colson and what?" Delly, carrying Colson demanded of the stuttering barbarian. Wulfgar shrugged his massive shoulders in response. Delly turned and saw Catti-brie and Drizzt standing off to the side.

"Nice to see ye two again. What brings ye here?" Delly greeted them. Catti-brie again looked hesitantly at Drizzt. He shrugged in reply. Drizzt promptly explained the situation to Delly. Delly nodded to them and then she rounded on Wulfgar.

"Ye listen to me Wulfgar! It sounds like yer father be needing ye and all yer doing is running away!" she said sternly to Wulfgar. A little softer she added, "Me and Colson will be fine. I know ye want to go; it's in yer blood. Just go and hurry back." Her soft brown eyes meet his startling sky blue eyes. He smiled and kissed his wife on the cheek. He turned around to Drizzt and Catti-brie.

"Alright, tell Bruenor I will go, I will be ready soon. I'll meet you at the mines." With that Wulfgar turned and went back into the house to gather his things.

"I guess that's it!" Drizzt turned to Catti-brie and smiled. She grinned and offered her hand to Drizzt. He took it and the couple went walking hand in hand back towards Bruenor and the mines.


	4. Starting Off

I hope you are enjoying it so far! Please read and reply!

The two arrived back at the camp later on that afternoon. They found Bruenor and Regis waiting for them.

"Are ye ready yet ye stinkin' elf?" Bruenor shouted at the elf.

"We've been waitin' all day fer ye and me daughter!" Bruenor shouted angrily at Drizzt and Catti-brie. Drizzt looked hopelessly at Catti-brie, who just smiled.

"My apologies." Drizzt offered Bruenor. Bruenor dismissed it and started asking Drizzt about Wulfgar.

"Is me boy comin'?" Bruenor asked very bluntly. Catti-brie gave Bruenor a reassuring smile.

"O' course he is! He was goin' ta pack up his things when we left him." Bruenor smiled a wide smile. His gray eyes twinkled. Catti-brie then gave Bruenor a hug. His smile grew even wider.

"Just like old times." Regis spoke up. He got up from his comfortable seat against a tree and walked over towards the group.

"Are ye ready fer th' trail Rumblebelly?" Bruenor asked the halfling. Regis pulled out his little mace and grinned to show exactly how he felt about the ordeal.

"Yes, I'm really excited to get back on the trail, especially besides my dearest friends. Nothing of which I would like better." His friends were actually only just a little bit surprised. Their little friend had changed quite dramatically since his encounter with a goblin spear. He had gone from being a lover of comfort to a lover of adventure. Quiet a dramatic change for Regis!

"I've learned that if any of you were killed on the road beside me I would be able to take it better than if I was at home in a comfortable chair. I would feel horrible knowing I wasn't there for you. Life is to short to think about such things. You have to follow your heart no matter what! That's what I'm doing, following my heart which happens to coincide with the road my dearest friends walk." With that he reached out and hugged all his friends. Catti-brie caught Drizzt's eye during the group hug and she smiled at him. He smiled back and winked. All was right in the world for Catti-brie.

"Delly? Where are you?" Wulfgar called out for his wife. He looked through the house he couldn't find her. Then he went into their bedroom. She was laying face first on the bed. He could softly hear her crying.

"Delly?" He called out softly to her. She sat up and looked at him and gave him a fake smile in an attempt to make him think nothing was wrong with her.

"Delly. What's wrong? Are you okay? Is Colson alright?" Wulfgar asked in a sudden panic. She smiled again to try to reassure him.

"Colson is fine, she's asleep in her room. Nothing's wrong really…" She trailed off. Wulfgar read her facial expression and quickly went to her side. He pulled her close to him.

"You're worried about me leaving. Aren't you?" He asked softly. She sighed in his big muscular arms.

"Yes, yer right. I know I can't keep ye here. Ye should go. It's yer father after all that needs ye." Delly saw the expression on his face as she pulled back.

"Don't feel guilty either. Colson and I will be fine. I just don't want to be without ye, but I don't want ye to stay and be miserable either." She sighed. Wulfgar spoke up.

"I really don't want to leave either. I wish I could stay but I just feel Bruenor needs me. I…I…" He stammered to a stop.

"Shh. Its alright." Delly put her finger to his lips to silence him. He smiled and leaned over and kissed her passionately. The two held the loving embrace until Colson started to cry.

The next day Drizzt got up early, like every day, to watch the sunrise. How beautiful it was! He was of course interrupted by a loud and grumbling dwarf.

"Are ye just gonna stare at the stinkin' sun while we leave without ye?" Bruenor grumbled. Drizzt just had to look at the dwarf and laugh. The two had been friends for a very long time, and in this time Drizzt had come to realize that Bruenor was more talk than he was real threat. The dwarf had a heart of gold Drizzt knew.

The dwarf grumbled off stomping as he went. Drizzt turned his gaze back towards the sun. The light was still very bright for his light sensitive eyes. Being a creature from the Underdark, Drizzt's eyes allowed him to see heat and also the regular light spectrum, though his eyes were more attuned to the heat spectrum. As a consequence, the light from the sun caused his eyes to water as well as sting, but Drizzt lavished in the pain. To him it was a reminder of how he had come to the surface escaping his evil heritage.

His thoughts were again interrupted. His ultra sensitive ears heard the approach of someone else. The footsteps were light, like that of a well-seasoned warrior. He knew instantly that it was Catti-Brie.

She approached him from behind and sat down next to him placing her hand over his. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"You are late." He informed her.

"Late?" She questioned him. She lifted her head up and looked at his face. He didn't answer her but instead he smiled as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"What are ye thinkin' about?" she asked him as she too stared out into the beautiful rising sun. He didn't say anything for a while as they both enjoyed the sight of the rising sun.

"To answer your question, nothing really. I was just watching the sun." Drizzt answered. Satisfied with the answer she questioned him further.

"And what do ye mean I was late?" She asked him as she screwed up her face in confusion.

"You are usually here earlier than that." He said with another wistful smile. She scowled at him and turned away back to the sun.

He looked at her closely. To him she looked even more beautiful as the sunlight hit her skin, seeming to make it glow. Catti-brie turned back around to Drizzt and she noticed he was staring at her. She was about to say something when she noticed the twinkle in his eye. She in turn, looked closely at him. They held each other's gaze for a long while, but not long enough. Their sweet reverie was quickly broken.

"Are ye ready yet ye durned fool elf!" Bruenor grumbled as he broke into the clearing were Drizzt sat right next to Catti-brie with his arm wrapped around her waist. He saw them, but said nothing.

"The supplies are all loaded, so come on ye two." Bruenor said as he hastily turned around. Drizzt and Catti-Brie shared a smile.

"Well, we should go." Drizzt stated. Drizzt and Catti-Brie walked to the rest of the group. Wulfgar was waiting with his wife, Delly and their adopted daughter, Colson. Regis was there also. Bruenor was waiting, and very impatiently at that. With his hands on his hips he regarded the new arrivals.

"It's about time!" He yelled at Drizzt and Catti-Brie.

"My sincerest apologies King Bruenor." Drizzt said sarcastically and with a mock bow. Wulfgar laughed. He walked over a clasped his drow friend on the back.

"Good one, my friend." He said. Drizzt looked up at the barbarian and smiled. How good it felt to be back with all of his friends once again heading out on the trail.

Wulfgar left Drizzt's side after a moment of hearty laughter to go to his wife.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Wulfgar asked Delly with concern in his voice. She looked up at his glistening eyes and nodded and she reached up and ruffled his blonde hair.

"Of course I'll be alright! Me and Colson will be right here awaiting yer return." Delly said to Wulfgar lifting his hopes a little bit more. He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips.

"I will be back soon Delly. I love you." He said to her. She started off down the trail back to their house as she called out to him.

"I love ye too Wulfgar!" With that she turned right back around down the trail. Wulfgar smiled and turned around to have all of his friends looking at him.

"What!" He asked them. Catti-brie laughed but said nothing. Drizzt began to cough in an attempt to hide his laughter. Regis said nothing as he was to busy staring in to his ruby pendant. There was no doubt that he had missed the whole conversation. Bruenor huffed in his long beard and started off on the trail. The rest of the companions followed along, quickly catching up to the short and stocky dwarf.


	5. The Danger Presented

Finally the adventure is going to start to pick up! I had to write one of the introspective things about Drizzt, just like RA Salvatore. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please read and reply!  
  
Nearby a pair of watchful eyes took notice of the group's every move.  
"I will catch up with you Drizzt Do'Urden. Mark my words! Beware, as I draw near!" the watcher spoke out, but his threat was left unanswered as the wind stole his words away.  
So again my friends and I are to take up the long trail to the safe confines of Mithral Hall. Regis is unusually excited for the road. What has gotten into our little half-ling friend? Maybe we shall soon find out. Wulfgar isn't too anxious for the road, which is perfectly understandable. He feels he has responsibilities to stay at home with Delly and Colson. After the meeting at Wulfgar's house I realize that Delly would try anything to get Wulfgar to follow his heart and she will not try to hold him back in anyway from anything she feels he would like to do. Bruenor on the other hand loves the adventures, but I fear he is seeing this voyage as the last he will ever make. Catti-Brie, as am I are more than ready for the long road. We look forward to the long and twisting paths. There is nowhere I would rather be than beside my dearest friends battling what the tundra of Icewind Dale can throw at our very feet. How I have longed again for this very day when we can call the trail our home once again, but yet I do not look forward to this trip. To me and seemingly to Bruenor, this trip symbolizes the last of our great adventures together. He must remain at Mithral Hall for he is King no doubt about that, but assuming the responsibility will be hard for Bruenor. He is not one to sit idly by as the world turns around him and battles are fought. Oh no, he is one that is in the front lines of the battle, like any other good dwarven king. How will he be able to sit by once he reclaims the throne? I fear we can only sit and wait for that moment to present itself to us. -Drizzt Do'Urden  
  
"Ah, does me lungs good to be back on the trail." Bruenor observed as they started off on the road to Mithral Hall. Wulfgar caught Catti-Brie's eye and rolled his own. She suppressed a giggle as much as possible. As they continued on the trail they were stopped (first by the stench) by the bellow of Pwent and his Gutbuster brigade.  
"So ye thought ye'd leave us outta the fun 'eh?" Pwent asked Bruenor angrily with his hands on his hips. "Ye think we'd leave? We're taking ye back to Mithral Hall, ain't that right boys?" Pwent rallied his Gutbusters. There were cheers and enthusiastic applause.  
"I was hoping we'd leave them behind!" Drizzt whispered into Catti- brie's ear. She laughed softly and whispered back to him.  
"Ye'd think with the a stench like that we'd a been aware of their comin'!" Drizzt grinned and squeezed her hand.  
"Well it looks as if me and me friends have no choice but to take ye with us, do we?" Bruenor asked dejectedly.  
"Yer right me king! Were going with ye aren't we?!" Pwent bellowed at his troops. In turn they shouted loudly and began to head butt each other. Wulfgar and Regis exchanged puzzled glances. Drizzt and Catti-brie were standing behind Wulfgar and Regis and they were both laughing quietly at the spectacle. Bruenor looked over at his friends and he realized they were laughing. Huffing angrily in his beard he started down the trail again.  
"Wait me king!" Pwent rushed forward. The companions shared another hearty laugh at poor Bruenor's expense. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt and said,  
"This is going to make for an interesting like trip!" Drizzt nodded and motioned for the group to continue on.  
From a nearby look out a voice spoke softly into the wind. "If you only knew, beautiful Catti-brie, if you only knew." As quickly as the shadowy figure had appeared it disappeared darting in between various trees watching, waiting. 


	6. Under Attack!

The action finally picks up! Hope you enjoy this chapter. As always, read and reply please! Thanks! On with the story...  
  
Regis walked stoically by Wulfgar with his hands in his ears trying to block out the horrible sounds of Pwent and his Gutbuster brigade's singing. The dwarves reached another horrible crescendo and Regis grimaced in pain. Wulfgar heard his sharp intake of breath and looked down at him. Regis looked up at Wulfgar and sighed. Wulfgar had to chuckle at Regis, how funny the halfling looked with his hands in his ears. Meanwhile Drizzt was bringing up the rear, scouting to in fro searching for any highway bandits that might give them trouble, not that it would be much to the seasoned veterans. Catti-brie in turn was also scouting out in front of the troop. All was uneventful until Drizzt heard a telltale noise. Catti- brie also caught it and motioned for the group to quiet down. Drizzt and Catti-brie were just about to spot the problem when, Whoosh! An arrow whizzed over Wulfgar's head. He instinctively fell into a crouch. Pwent and his Gutbusters shouted and started a headlong charge into the thick of the trees. Thunk, thunk, thunk! Pwent and his entire Gutbuster brigade were laying on the ground sound asleep. Drizzt and Catti-brie recognized the quarrels sticking out of Pwent and his friends all to well. "Drow poison." Drizzt whispered under his breath. Soon after he spoke these words another sound sounded for behind him. He spun quickly around and found himself facing a charging army of kobolds. He also noticed the group of drow hidden in the trees. His mind reeled, but he had no time ponder it at length as the kobolds quickly reached him. Catti-brie was quick with her bow, Taulmaril the Heartseeker, and downed a few of the beasts before they got to the group. Realizing just how fast the army was coming, Drizzt pulled out his scimitars and he faced the oncoming kobolds. Twinkle quickly slashed through the oncoming kobold, which was lost in its own momentum. He quickly fell to the ground his eyes continuing to stare blankly. Drizzt quickly parried the next kobold's feeble attempt at an attack. Catti-brie stood by watching picking off kobold after kobold. Soon though Drizzt's form disappeared into the sea of kobolds. She thought to call out and see if he was still even alive but knowing Drizzt, he didn't need any help so she didn't. She kept killing off the kobolds one after another as she inched closer to the main group, preparing to use her sword. Meanwhile Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis were just as involved in the thick of the struggle. "Where in the nine hells did all these kobolds come from?" Wulfgar shouted above the noise of the battle. Bruenor grunted. "How are we ta know!" he spat at Wulfgar. Regis grunted his reply too. Swinging his little mace he fell another kobold. "Take that you filthy beast!" He shouted at it. He quickly changed his course and swung his little mace again warding off the blow of the next kobold in line. Wulfgar in turn was doing his share of killing kobolds also. He swung his mighty warhammer, Aegis-Fang, at the oncoming group. Their looks of surprise as Aegis-Fang returned to his hand was all he needed to keep going. He sung out a song to his battle god, Tempus as he let loose his warhammer again, cleanly taking out a line of charging kobolds. Drizzt was beginning to tire. His arms ached from the continuing battle. His arms seemed to burn more with every block he did. His breath became labored. He needed to get out of here but how? The kobolds had him completely blocked in. The kobolds were fighting in a very organized manner. This battle had been well planned out, but by who and why? Icingdeath slid through another unlucky kobolds chest. He quickly pulled the scimitar free and parried yet another blow. He continued thinking. Had his evil heritage caught up with him again? This made him burn with anger and he became the hunter in the Underdark once again. Was the stream of kobolds ever going to stop Catti-brie wondered. If her and her companions didn't find a way out of the charging army, they were doomed. She still couldn't see Drizzt, and Wulfgar was getting tired and Bruenor was also. Even though she was with the best of company there was no way they could ward off this many kobolds. This thought scared Catti-brie. It wasn't the thought of death but the thought of never seeing her friends again. With this newfound determination, she fought even stronger still.  
  
Nearby the pair of watchful eyes followed their every move. The eyes saw them beginning to tire. Now was the time. The figure waved over the commander of the kobolds. He was a monster even to the kobolds. He stood head and shoulders above the rest of them. His dog like face was always curled into a snarl because he had been attacked by an orc when he was younger. The attack had left his face uglier than ever.  
"Yes, my lord." The kobold commander bowed gracefully. The figure smiled.  
"It is time. Be prepared to call them back." Was all the figure said.  
"Very well my lord." The kobold stated. The kobold walked away. The lone figure on the hill called over his companion.  
"Get them ready, now is the time!" The dark skinned figure nodded. He spoke in a language that was very difficult for his comrade to understand. After the dark skinned figure finished speaking several more of his kind appeared. Each held a look of great anticipation and excitement. They had been waiting for this moment for sometime.  
"They know what to do, I see." The figure said to the associate. The dark skinned figure nodded. He spoke a few sentences more in the other language before he sent them off to complete their mission. They ran off into the clearing were Drizzt and his friends were. The figure nodded and his dark skinned friend left him on the hill. The figure smiled at the spectacle. Just you wait Drizzt Do'Urden... just you wait. You will wish you'd never been born the figure silently vowed. The game was only just beginning. 


	7. Kidnapped

Drizzt was really beginning to tire. The sweat was rolling down his face and stinging his eyes. His arms were becoming rubber. He sloppily blocked a few more shots.  
"Catti-brie?" He called out over the ringing of the weapons. Catti- brie heard him and her heart leaped in her chest. At least he was alive. She called out a reply.  
"Drizzt are ye alright? Where are ye?" Drizzt smiled. He was glad she was all right. He quickly glanced around and saw her above him on the hill.  
"I'm below you. I'm all right as far as I can tell. We need to get out of here. There is too many!" He shouted back to her.  
"I never noticed!" She said under her breath.  
"You are right." A voice replied. She quickly spun around. A drow looked back at here and smiled. He held something in his hand that looked similar to Regis's pendant. The magic was much more potent than Regis's. She found herself staring into the gem without even realizing it. She stood there staring into the gem completely unaware that nine more drow were quickly closing in behind her. The drow in front of her just continued to smile as he twisted the gem back and forth. Her expression of contentment quickly changed to one of puzzlement as a rope was pulled around her. She tired to cry out but all that came out was a quick shriek as a heavy hand silenced her from behind. She tired to bite the hand that held her but the attacker had his hand cupped so she couldn't. She couldn't move either. Her mind raced. What was going on? She looked down at Drizzt and she wished she could cry out to him. She knew he'd be up in a flash but she couldn't so she turned her eyes back to her attackers.  
The one that tricked her had taken her bow and sword and was hanging them up on the tree. Before he stuck the sword up he came over to Catti- brie, grinning wickedly he took her sword and cut her cheek with it, just enough to leave blood on the sword. She jerked violently only to be rewarded with a hard punch on the other cheek. She gave up and just stood there all tied up and glared menacingly at her attackers. The drow just laughed, not a heartfelt laugh full of love like Drizzt's, no this was a more evil and maniacal laugh. The drow turned away and pulled out a piece of paper and stuck it into the tree with the blade. Catti-brie tried to read the letter but failed as her attention was turned to Drizzt's voice.  
"Catti-brie? Are you all right up there?" He called out. The drow looked at each other and quickly grabbed Catti-brie and they ran off into the woods, dragging her as she tried to stop her descent. "Drizzt!" Bruenor called out to his drow friend. Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis had escaped the fray and were now frantically looking for their friend.  
Drizzt heard the call but was to winded to return it. As it was the call made him lose his attention to the battle for an instant, but in that instant, with his reflexes slowed, Drizzt had no time to react to the oncoming ax aimed at him.  
  
"There he is!" Regis cried out to Wulfgar and Bruenor. They all watched the horrible moment as Drizzt was hit in the shoulder by the kobold's ax.  
"Drizzt!" Regis and Bruenor called out at the same instant. Wulfgar without even thinking jumped into the sea of kobolds. Ignoring the stings of their weapons licking his flesh he made his way to his fallen friend and picked him up. He quickly rushed up to Bruenor and Regis.  
"Run!" he shouted at them as the companions made their way into the forest.  
  
Well, what did you think? The main idea is finally starting to come into play. Sorry it took so long... As always, read and reply! 


	8. Picking Up The Pieces

"Call them off now." The figure calmly said to his commander. The kobold saluted him. He called out in the language of the kobolds. His voice was magnified by magic so every one of the kobolds heard his call. All of their minds had been bent under the will of strong magic. They all abruptly stopped and began retreating to the cave. "Excellent!" The figure called out to the returning ten drow, with their prize. He went over to Catti-brie and gently caressed her face. "Is this how the drow does it?" He asked mockingly Catti-brie was gagged and couldn't reply. She just struggled in the drow's grasp. The strange man continued to run his hand along her face as she tried to pull out of his reach. "I doubt you give him any trouble, now do you?" the man asked sarcastically. Catti-brie struggled yet again. "This one should be lots of fun." The man remarked. Catti-brie looked up at him for the first time to give him a threatening stare only to find she couldn't see his face. The dark cowl he had pulled over it hid it. Oh how she wished her friends were here! "Take her to my chambers." He spoke. Catti-brie's eyes grew wide as she struggled even more, just so she could get a swing at this man. "Well now Drizzt Do'Urden, the trap is set, will you take the bait?" The man looked out into the trees as if searching for the answer. He smiled and turned away. He headed towards his chambers.  
Drizzt's head was swimming. He could see bits and pieces of things but not enough to figure out what was going on. Nothing was making any sense. "Regis, bring me the potion!" Bruenor commanded as the companions finally got a safe distance from the army of kobolds and drow. While they were running, Drizzt had been drifting in and out of consciousness. He seemed to have recognized Wulfgar who was carrying him but he wasn't sure what was going on or where he was. Regis hurried back over with the healing potion in his hand. It was a good thing Regis insisted on bringing the potion with him even though Bruenor had told him it was ridiculous. You can never be to careful thought Regis as he handed the flask to Bruenor. Bruenor quickly opened the flask and poured the liquid down Drizzt's throat. Drizzt resurfaced back into consciousness and felt the liquid burn its way down his throat. He instantly felt the potion work its magic on his wounds. His head was still swimming but even so, he opened his eyes anyway. He saw all his friends standing around him with worried looks on their faces. He was glad to see them all but he noticed quickly the one he loved the most was missing. "Where...is Catti-brie?" He struggled to say. The worried look on Bruenor's face only deepened. "Me and the rest of the group were hoping that ye would have some clue when ye woke up." The only thing that came to Drizzt's mind at the moment was that he had to find Catti-brie. Drizzt gritted his teeth and closed his eyes and tried to stand. Wulfgar quickly reached out with his strong arms and pushed him back down gently. "It's my fault...we must find her!" Drizzt stammered. Wulfgar looked down with pity on Drizzt. "It's not your fault. We all saw you get hit. I think it's amazing you even know who you are let alone where you are and what happened." Wulfgar spoke wisely to Drizzt. Regis came over with a wet cloth and he began to wipe Drizzt's shoulder and arm clear of blood. Drizzt winced as he tried to clean out the cut. "We'll find me girl soon enough, we will." Bruenor reassured Drizzt as he once again fell back to unconsciousness. Catti-brie looked around her. The room was fairly dark and she couldn't make out much. The drow had tied her to a chair, so she couldn't move around the room to see what else was there. She heard heavy footsteps and she panicked. What was he going to do to her? She almost cried out when the hooded man walked into the room. She couldn't see his face but she knew he was looking at her. He moved past her and over to the table on the opposite side of the room and sat in one of the chairs by the table. He snapped his fingers and two drow stepped out of the shadows and into the dimly lit middle. "Undo her gag." The man said. The drow followed his orders and undid her gag. The man spoke again to the two drow. "Very good, I don't need you anymore, you may leave." With that command they left. Catti-brie and the strange man were left alone. Catti-brie spoke first. "Who are ye and what do ye want?" She demanded fierily. The man chuckled softly across the room. "I believe I will be the one asking the questions." With a quick flash he was across the room holding a dagger to her slender throat. She didn't back down, even with his threat. "What do you want with me?" She asked even as he held the dagger to her throat. He laughed again and put the dagger down. With another quick flash he was across the room and back in the chair. Still chuckling he said. "No wonder the drow has a thing for you, he must like fiery personalities. Tell me, how is he?" He sarcastically asked. Catti-brie stiffened and spoke with a deadly calm, "Ye leave him outta this. Ye have me what do ye want?" Even through her deadly calm Catti-brie wanted to cry. Who was this man and why did he keep talking about Drizzt like that? She thought of her friends, were they all right? She just continued to glare at the man. The only thing that kept her from crying was the image of Drizzt and the rest of her friends in her mind. The man seemed to read her thoughts. "I bet you're wondering about the rest of your friends aren't you?" He asked Catti-brie. She tried not to let him know what she was thinking. "I called off the kobolds and the drow. If you haven't already figured out I have them under my command. One of my minions did tell me he got hold of your precious drow lover!" He snickered as he waited for her to reply. He did see the ghost of a look of concern cross her face. She bit her lip to try to hide it. "You don't believe me? Well I will show you!" With that the man waved his arms. Before her appeared a pool. In it Catti-brie could see all her friends gathered around something. The image was still somewhat fuzzy so she couldn't quite see what was going on. She did see the expressions on her friends' faces however. Wulfgar was crying. Regis was rubbing his eyes in his sleeve. What was going on? The picture finally cleared and she saw her father digging a rather large hole. The picture went back to Regis and Wulfgar crowded around something. It was Drizzt! He wasn't moving. Her heart raced. It all made sense! Bruenor was digging a hole for Drizzt's grave! She saw a huge gash on his head. It was too much for her. She closed her eyes and she just let the floodgate open. She couldn't help but cry. Across the room the man kept quiet. This was just what he wanted. The plan was falling together so wonderfully!  
  
Well, what did you think? Please let me know! The plot has started to thicken a tad. Hope you enjoyed. 


	9. Where to begin?

"Where are we boys?" Pwent asked his groggy group of Gutbusters. Pwent looked around. All round him the land was littered with bodies of kobolds. Some had arrows sticking out of them; some he noticed had fine slashes to their throats. This was the work of Bruenor and the gang. The question was where were they?

"How long have we been out?" Pwent asked the others as he pulled himself up from the ground. The rest of his brigade was also lying on the ground. He looked down at his side where an irritating stinging pain was shooting from. He pulled out a small quarrel.

"Drow." Was the only word he muttered. He threw the quarrel down and spat. Of all the luck. Drow! He angrily thought to himself. He knew that if it was indeed drow than Bruenor and his group was in a lot of trouble especially Drizzt. He yelled to his troops and they hurriedly began to search for Bruenor and his friends.

Catti-brie sat staring off into space. The impact of Drizzt's death was still hitting her. It couldn't be! How could one of such skill be downed so easily by some kobold? Given the odds they had been against it could be possible. Her heart ached for him. A single tear found its way down her cheek, but she didn't seem to notice. She found, in the midst of her mind, she was regretting not having spent more time with him. Where would they have been if they had become husband and wife? What could have been? How ironic it seemed to her. It didn't seem to help her current situation any. Across the room the man stirred.

"Well, I must go to finish some business, I won't be long, dear." He said. She grimaced visibly, but said nothing. He walked towards the door and muttered some words and he passed through the door. From somewhere outside the door she heard him say something about not being able to open the door without the magical password. What did she care? She sighed and let her despair wash over her again.

"Let's go boys!" Pwent yelled loudly to his troops as they began to frantically search for any tracks left by either Bruenor or the enemy that they could follow.

"Yer king needs ye!" Pwent shouted again making the Gutbusters search all the faster. He too joined in the search as was coming up with nothing. He was still tired from the drow poison and all he wanted to do was collapse but he couldn't let his king down. He said a quick prayer to Moradin and hoped he wasn't to late for Bruenor and his group.

"Drizzt! I'm so glad yer awake!" Bruenor said as happily as any dwarf could. Drizzt smiled weekly.

"How long have I been out?" He managed to ask. Bruenor turned to Wulfgar and Regis who both shrugged their shoulders. How he wished Catti-brie was here to tell him he was going to be all right. His gaze went from Bruenor all the way to Regis. They were still quite blurry and there seemed to be three of each of them. His thoughts drifted back to Catti-brie. He had to go find her!

Drizzt let the waves of nausea wash over him before he tried to stand upright. Wulfgar was just about to push him down but Drizzt waved him away.

"What are we waiting for? We have to find her. I saw those quarrels that were shot at Pwent as did you Bruenor. They were the same as any drow dart I have ever seen. If she got captured by the drow, judging what they did to me, I would never forgive myself." Drizzt said with a tone of finality. Bruenor looked at Wulfgar and shrugged his shoulders. They both knew their friend well. Once he had his mind set on something he was going to stick to it no matter the odds.

Drizzt began walking back to where he last remembered being so he could try to find any traces of where Catti-brie got dragged off to, if that was the case. He walked slowly to where they last had a conversation. He looked all around looking for traces when something caught his eye.

"This way!" He shouted to his companions. He half staggered half ran over to what he was looking at. His heart almost stopped at what he saw. It was Catti-brie's bow and sword stuck in a tree! He ran his good hand over it, as almost to make sure it was real. He grasped the sword firmly in his hand and he pulled on it with all of his might to get it out of the tree.

When he got it free something fell to the ground. He bent over and picked it up. It was some sort of message but before he had a chance to read it Bruenor quickly ripped it hard out of his hand. While Bruenor read the note quietly to himself, Drizzt rolled the sword over in his hand. There was blood on its fine edge. It wasn't kobold blood, that much Drizzt knew. It looked like human blood. Was it Catti-brie's? His mind reeled at the possibilities. Combined with his loss of blood and this new news Drizzt crumbled to the ground in a heap.   
"Drizzt!" Regis called out to him as he leapt just in time to save Drizzt from hitting his head the ground. Drizzt's lavender eyes seemed to roll back into his head completely. Regis shook Drizzt and slapped his cheeks in an attempt to wake him up. Drizzt woke up and blinked a few times to try to clear his vision. His head throbbed and he couldn't seem to see any clearer.

"Are you all right?" Wulfgar asked with concern. Drizzt regarded him and nodded his head in response. He tried to get up again but Regis grabbed him. Regis gently slid Drizzt down to the ground as he began to pilfer through his supplies looking for his other flask of healing potion. He pulled it out triumphantly with a big smile on his face. He placed the flask on Drizzt's lips and he gently poured the liquid down his throat. Drizzt coughed as the potion started to take effect.

He could almost instantly feel his head stop its terrible throbbing. He opened his eyes and the ground was no longer spinning around him. His hand reached up to the wound on his shoulder, only to find that it had scabbed over.

"That is gonna leave a nasty scar." Bruenor commented. Drizzt nodded with a smile. "Are ye fit enough to continue on?" Bruenor asked Drizzt after he had reoriented himself. Drizzt nodded. "First I think ye should read this." Bruenor said as he held out the note that was held fast by Catti-brie's sword in the tree. Drizzt sat up and took the note.

"As the day grows long and comes to an end, Catti-brie must wonder if she shall ever see the sun again. The time of her death draws near. Do you know fear Drizzt Do'Urden?" Drizzt read the message and rage shook him to his very core. How could he lose the one he had come to love so much so fast! He closed his eyes and tried to take deep steady breaths.

He had to be calm so he could think, for Catti-brie's sake, but the only thing he could think of was that his evil heritage had caught up with him again. He took another deep breath to calm himself down. He opened his eyes again and looked at the message again. For some reason or another the handwriting looked awfully familiar to him but he couldn't place it. He finally calmed down enough so he could talk to Bruenor.

"Let's go get her!" He said defiantly with a hint of anger in his voice. He looked from Bruenor to Regis and Wulfgar who was starting a fire. Regis in turn looked at him and nodded his head in agreement. Wulfgar had his back turned towards the fire and he was prodding it with a stick.

"Let us make camp here tonight and get rested in order to go out tomorrow. Especially you Drizzt, you should not rush headlong in to something like that right after your head injury." Wulfgar said to Drizzt convincing him to rest. Regis nodded his head in agreement and started to prepare a meal for the group.

"If only I knew where to start." Drizzt muttered to himself as he wandered over to the campsite.

"Where are you Catti-brie? Where are you?" Drizzt asked the cloudless night sky.

Hmmm. So what is going to happen now? Hope you enjoyed. Please r/r. I would also like to say thank you to all of my reviewers. That means a lot to me. Thanks! Sorry about the bad editing jobs. ff.net doesn't seem to like to follow my setup... Sorry.


	10. The Hunt Begins

Catti-brie's captor looked on the Companions of the Hall in glee. He figured he would draw out their pain as much as possible. Look at the turmoil within Drizzt Do'Urden! Oh how he lavished in his pain. A thought just occurred to him. Should he kill Catti-brie in front of Drizzt and then kill Drizzt? Oh, how much pain he could bring to them! He pondered the possibilities. Either way the outcome would work to my favor, the man thought to himself.

He looked over into his second portal where he could keep his eye on his pawn, as he now referred to Catti-brie as. How good it was to have power again! He was never to be fooled by anyone. He had been used way to many times, but now was his time, the time for power!

Catti-brie looked around her room for the second time. It was still hard to see but with the help of her pendent she could see in the darkness for some distance. She had finally come to peace with her emotions and she realized that Drizzt would not want her to sit by idly. He would want her to continue on. She looked around the room trying to formulate an escape plan. If she only had her sword and her bow! She could sure teach that man and his nasty kobolds a lesson or two.

Her thoughts were interrupted as her captor walked into the room.

"So I see you've been a good girl. I like that. We wouldn't want any problems would we?" The man said as he put his hands on either side of her face. She tried to pull away and the man just laughed mockingly at her. She spit in his eyes as an act of deviance. He quickly pulled back from her. In response to her act he backhanded her causing her nose to bleed. Satisfied, he walked away from her.

"The only reason I came here was to see if losing your _special_ friend was going to leave you forever grief stricken." He put a very evident emphasis on special. She gave him a very dirty look in response. And he paid her no heed as he continued. "Since you seem to be recovering nicely I will take my leave." He muttered a few words and he was gone again. Why did he want her? Catti-brie wondered to herself. Now that Drizzt was gone it wasn't couldn't be he was trying to get back at him, but then why did he keep bringing up Drizzt? What was he trying to accomplish? Was it something to do with her father and his wealth? She could only wait to find out.

Drizzt woke up early the next morning. How could he sleep when the one he loved was in mortal danger? He looked around to see if anyone had woken up early. Everyone else was still sound asleep. He walked carefully and lightly away from them to the edge of the cliff so he could watch the sunrise. The sun should be rising any time now, he told himself. That got him to thinking about Catti-brie. He would usually meet Catti-brie early and they would watch the sunrise together.

The sun was beginning to rise and the light was burning his eyes like usual, but today it wasn't a good kind of pain. It was a pain that went deeper than that. His stomach twisted inside and out as he thought about Catti-brie in some kidnappers hands when she should be in his arms right now. Was she okay? Had they hurt her? What if the captor or captors were indeed drow? Could he ever forgive himself for letting his evil heritage hurt one of his dearest and closest friends? With these things on his mind he came to a decision, I have to go get her.

His head was still kind of swimming as he got up and decided that he was going to go off on his own to find Catti-brie. If her captors were indeed drow he alone would be able to face them. He couldn't risk losing anymore of his close friends. With this new resolve he quietly slipped back into the camp and packed his things quickly. He slung them over his back and looked back at his friends one last time. How peaceful they seemed. He sighed as his burden grew heavier and he turned and left the camp, hurriedly running off in the trees.

Unknowingly to Drizzt, Catti-brie was watching the same sunrise. Though the window was small in the room she could still make out the sun's beautiful rays. She thought of how Drizzt would put an arm around and hold her close to him every morning as they watched the sunrise.

She also thought of her father and of his fate to go back to Mithral Hall and how he was going to kick and struggle ever step of the way. He didn't want to go back, that much she knew, but she still wasn't sure quite why. She also thought of Wulfgar. How good it was to have Wulfgar back with the group, but it had made things a little uncomfortable for her relationship Drizzt. She thought of Regis and his speech on friendship and love. That is what she had to look forward too she reminded herself. She struggled with the rope that was holding her to the chair. She couldn't make it budge.

"There is no use even trying to undo that rope." An all to familiar voice spoke into the silence. Right before her stood her captor.

"Just for future reference, that rope is magically enhanced, so only a person with the special spell could undo the bonds." He told her. She sat back in the chair defeated.

"Has anyone ever told you how cute you are when you're angry?" The man asked. She looked at him and glared. He laughed at her.

"Obviously not. Not even your little drow friend?" He said making her grow even angrier still. She tried to kick him in the shins as he stood in front of her put to her surprise her blow was absorbed. He shook his head sadly at her.

"You shouldn't have done that, Catti-brie." He struck out at her with his fist. He hit her across the face with the same amount of energy she had tried to use on him. The impact broke her nose. "I told you so!" He said and with a wave of his hand he was gone. Catti-brie was left alone with the dark again this time with the company of extreme pain.

Pwent and his gang of Gutbusters were still searching for some kind of sign of their beloved king. They had been searching since sunrise to no avail.

"Me king, me king." Pwent was shouting at the top of his lungs hoping to hear from Bruenor. He was just about to holler it again when he burst into the clearing where Bruenor and Wulfgar were unpacking their supplies for the night.

"Me king!" Pwent shouted as he ran full out towards Bruenor. He reached Bruenor and he plowed him over in a big bear hug. Wulfgar had to stop and laugh at the sight. Here Bruenor was trying his best to try to pull away from Pwent as Pwent kept hugging him tighter, and cutting Bruenor up in the process with his armor.

"Me and me boys were really worried about ye, weren't we boys?" He called out to his troops who responded with a deafening roar.

"Well I'm fine! It's me daughter and Drizzt now to that are in trouble. Catti-brie got captured and now Drizzt is off chasin' her by h'mself! And ye were worrin' 'bout me!" Bruenor's gray eyes flashed with annoyance. Pwent backed down.

"Me and me boys didn't know…" Pwent trailed off and looked helplessly at Bruenor. Bruenor calmed down as he took a deep breath. Wulfgar put a strong steady hand on Bruenor's shoulder.

"We will keep looking with you for as long as it takes to find Catti-brie. She is just as important to you as she is to us. We must keep trying." Wulfgar said to Bruenor. Regis nodded his head in agreement.

"We'll do what ever it takes for a friend." Regis chimed in. Bruenor looked away from Wulfgar and Regis so they couldn't see his eyes filling with tears.

"I've sworn to protect ye me king and so have me boys. We'll go with ye through any kind o' trouble." Pwent added in after a moment of silence. Bruenor nodded in Pwent's direction but he didn't look up at him. No words needed to be said at the moment. All were in agreement within their thoughts.

I apologize once again for how the chapters keep coming up. For some reason when I upload a document it messes the format all up.


	11. Foggy Thoughts

The trail didn't seem to be leading Drizzt anywhere. He had left his friends a day ago and he hadn't seen any sign of Catti-brie. He had been looking for signs of her day and night since he had left the group. He had traced and retraced his steps looking for some clue but he hadn't been able to find anything. He was beginning to believe that he might not ever find her.   
  
He sighed and sat down. How was he ever going to find her? By now the sun was sinking in the sky. How much longer was this going to take? How much longer could he go on like this without any rest? He had to find her soon if he ever has the hope of seeing her again. He decided to take a quick rest. He called Guenhwyvar to his side so he wouldn't be wasting any time.  
  
"Guen, this is urgent. Catti-brie is in trouble. We need to find her soon. Go out and see if you can find any signs of her." Drizzt explained to the panther. With that he sent the panther off to look for clues.  
  
"Hurry my friend. Hurry back with some good news." He whispered softly into the wind. He looked around him and sighed deeply, worried now more than ever about his precious Catti-brie.  
  
#########  
  
Bruenor was perched on a rock that was far away from his friends and the camp that they had made. All of Bruenor's close friends understood his way of dealing with his emotions so they didn't bother him.   
  
Bruenor was just sitting staring at the stars thinking. His mind was in turmoil tonight for many reasons. He was worried about his daughter for one. If Drizzt's suspicions had been correct about drow having captured her she was in big trouble. That was probably part of the reason Drizzt had left them. He must feel responsible for it, even though it wasn't his fault, or was there something else?   
  
Bruenor had noticed lately that Catti-brie had been spending a lot of time with Drizzt, alone. Bruenor remembered his conversation with Drizzt that was about loving a shorter-lived race. Could it have been true that Drizzt was trying to tell him something? Or was it just something that Bruenor himself was making up to try to find answers to his own questions? Bruenor sighed as he cleared his mind of those questions. Bruenor turned around to face the camp. Wulfgar had certainly taken on some responsibility with Colson and Delly. Bruenor knew it was Wulfgar's responsibility now to take care of his family. He also knew he would go back to his family after their journey was complete. Bruenor worried about that because of this he might not see Wulfgar again for some time. He was almost sure that Catti-brie wasn't going to want to stay at Mithral Hall for very long either. She would rather be off running the trails with Drizzt. To Bruenor it seemed that the Companions of the Hall were breaking up. With so many things on his mind Bruenor sighed and looked off into the distance.  
  
########  
  
Catti-brie shook her head forcing herself awake. How long had she been asleep, she wondered. She looked around her and she saw that nothing had changed until she saw something in the corner of her eye, something bright and colorful...  
  
#######  
  
Guenhwyvar returned to Drizzt to find him packing his supplies so he could once again be off on the trails looking for Catti-brie. Guenhwyvar gently pushed herself up next to Drizzt. He offered a ghost of a smile to his feline friend.  
  
"I'm really worried about her Guen." He ran his hand along the panther's back. Drizzt removed his hand and sighed. After a moment he went back to packing his things again. Guenhwyvar looked at Drizzt with her green eyes not revealing just all the knowledge they possessed.  
  
Guenhwyvar stood up again next to Drizzt and she began to bump up against him again. Drizzt absent-mindedly pushed her away while he was lost in his own thoughts. She pushed him harder this time forcing him to look at her.  
  
"What?" Drizzt said with an edge in his voice that he didn't mean to have. Guenhwyvar looked at him and began walking off. Drizzt slowly got up and followed her.  
  
"What is it Guen? What are you trying to show me?" He asked his intelligent feline friend. She just continued on rather quietly. Where was she leading him? Drizzt had to wonder.  
  
########  
  
Bruenor had a very uneasy night's sleep at best. His mind still swirled the inner turmoil that he just couldn't seem to get rid of. Bruenor walked slowly over to the makeshift table where Regis and Wulfgar were eating breakfast. He sat down rather glumly and didn't say a word as he ate his breakfast. Regis looked over at Wulfgar who just shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. Through out breakfast there wasn't a word spoken. Pwent was even quiet, which was very unusual for the normally loud and annoying Gutbuster.  
  
Through out the day the group trudged slowly on with only a few words being said now and then. Wulfgar and Bruenor lead the group. Every now and then the two friends would point out a track that might be of interest or usefulness.  
  
When darkness fell little sound was made as they made camp. To Bruenor it seemed they made little or no progress that day. Each day's march seemed more and more futile to the troubled Bruenor. They seemed to be going headlong into nothing. The weight of the world seemed to be on Bruenor Battlehammer's shoulders.  
  
########  
  
"What are ye doing here?!" Catti-brie called out to the strange colorful figure that had appeared suddenly in the room. The figure threw a quick smile Catti-brie's way.  
  
"Well, that's a fine way to treat an old friend." The figure said rather slyly. "My, my, my! You are just as beautiful as the last time I saw you. In Menzoberranzan I believe." The drow said. After a moment he reintroduced himself with a great sweeping bow. "Jarlaxle at your service."   
  
"What do you want Jarlaxle?" Catti-brie asked with suspicion. Jarlaxle laughed at her. Catti-brie narrowed her eyes threateningly.   
  
"Well I most certainly didn't come to receive empty threats!" He said with another laugh. Catti-brie realized how futile her efforts must seem. She sighed and sank back into the chair.  
  
"I actually came to check up on you. So how are you?" Jarlaxle said as he snapped his fingers and the chair nearest Catti-brie slid over to him. He deftly spun it around and he sat down in it backwards. He leaned his arms on the back of the chair and cupped his hands and he held his chin in them. He peered over at her expecting an answer.  
  
"What do ye want me to say?" Catti-brie demanded angrily. "I'm bein' held here against me own will and yer wonderin' how I am?" Catti-brie spat back at Jarlaxle. "What do ye truly want Jarlaxle?" Catti-brie asked him. He looked at her but said nothing. Jarlaxle seemed to be a bit unnerved by the question. He dodged the question when he spoke up again.  
  
"Well, love to stay and chat!" Jarlaxle said with a great emphasis on chat with a sly wink, which got a glare from Catti-brie. "But I truly must run. Until later my dear." He said with another wink and with a wave of his hand he disappeared with a puff of smoke. Catti-brie had to sit and wonder who in the nine hells she was even dealing with.  
  
Sorry I have updated in a while! Hope you enjoyed this chappy. As always, r/r 


	12. The Plot Unfolds

Guenhwyvar paced back and forth around the footprints that she had led Drizzt to.   
  
Drizzt came down on one knee and he took a closer look at one of the prints. To his   
  
surprise they were indeed human footprints roughly around the size of Catti-brie's. The   
  
others unnerved him more than a little. They were so light that any other ranger might not   
  
have spotted them, unless they were drow. These footprints were very narrow and short,   
  
much like the size of Drizzt's own foot. These prints were made with a hard-soled boot   
  
rather than a soft soled one like a surface elf would have worn. There was no doubt in   
  
Drizzt's mind that these were indeed drow prints. On a higher point the prints were only   
  
about a week old. Drizzt pulled up from his crouch and he rubbed Guenhwyvar on the   
  
neck.  
  
"Good job Guen! Let's see if these prints will lead us anywhere." With that last   
  
comment Drizzt began running along following the footprints with Guenhwyvar at his   
  
side.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
"You fool! Why in the nine hells did you ever reveal yourself to her! You know   
  
of my plans! If she tells the drow he will chase us to the ends of the realms! She is smart   
  
enough to realize who you associate with!" The dark figure screamed at his drow   
  
associate.  
  
"I was only adding a bit of intrigue to this other wise dull plan." Jarlaxle calmly   
  
added to the man's great irritation.  
  
"You stupid fool! I… I…" the man stammered to a stop. He glared at Jarlaxle but   
  
he didn't try to continue.  
  
"Besides, my dear friend, we are partners are we not?" Jarlaxle asked teasingly to   
  
the man. The shadowy figure just glared at him and stalked away. How his associate had   
  
changed since he found all this power. Jarlaxle mused to himself. Perhaps this should be   
  
corrected with a dose of humility.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"What should I do now?" The man asked a seemingly empty room. He was   
  
answered telepathically.  
  
"You could do as I told you to begin with and get rid of the girl. You do not need   
  
her."  
  
"The point of getting her was so I could get to Drizzt!" The man angrily shouted   
  
in the room as he began to pace back and forth yet again.  
  
"Who needs revenge when you can have all the power anyone has ever desired!"   
  
the voice in his head replied.  
  
"I want revenge on the damnable drow first!" The man shouted angrier than ever.   
  
He stalked out of the room with his fists balled in rage.  
  
Jarlaxle met him halfway down the hall. He stopped him instantly. He had a   
  
request to make to the man.  
  
"I am going to take the prisoner and question her more and see if she knows the   
  
whereabouts of the drow." The man looked back at him with beady eyes and he grunted   
  
his reply.  
  
"I will take that for a yes." Jarlaxle muttered to himself as he walked towards the   
  
holding quarters.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
Drizzt was bounding quickly down the trail following the footprints, happier now   
  
than he had been since the trip began. He was totally unaware he was being followed.  
  
"What is it Guen?" Drizzt asked the panther as he noticed her growling softly. He   
  
looked around and he saw something moving in the brush nearby him. He snapped out   
  
his scimitars as he went over to investigate the noise. To his relief all he found was a   
  
rabbit hopping around. Chuckling at his foolishness he put his scimitars back in place at   
  
his hips.  
  
Behind him a lone figure stalked as quiet as death following him, and waiting for   
  
the perfect moment to attack. The figure's footsteps were light and practiced for covert   
  
missions such as this one.  
  
"Come on Guen. It was just a rabbit nothing more you silly thing." Drizzt said as   
  
he playfully grabbed the panther's mouth. The panther seemed to be a little more ease but   
  
was still tense. What was wrong with his panther friend, Drizzt had to wonder. He   
  
continued on down the path with more attentiveness. His hands were placed protectively   
  
on the hilts of his scimitars.   
  
Unknown to Drizzt the figure crept up slowly behind him without even the tiniest   
  
sound. Soon he was behind Drizzt and he was posed to deal out the killing blow.   
  
Guenhwyvar called out a warning as she leapt to intercept the blow that was about to sink   
  
deep into Drizzt's skull. The figure expecting this much, and pulled a sack from his belt   
  
and threw it in the panther's direction. The panther soon became a mist as she was   
  
returned to the Astral plane. With out missing a beat the assassin continued his attack on   
  
Drizzt.   
  
Drizzt managed to turn around just in time to intercept the second blade that was   
  
aimed at his head. The parry rang out strong and clear. Drizzt looked at his attacker. His   
  
eyes widened as he saw the figure was a drow warrior. The wicked drow smiled evilly at   
  
Drizzt and slashed his other blade low hoping the Drizzt was still paralyzed with shock.   
  
That was indeed not the case.  
  
A red-hot anger surged through Drizzt. His scimitars slashed angrily at his   
  
opponent.   
  
"What are you doing here?" He demanded angrily at his opponent as he came in   
  
again slashing his scimitars to and fro. His opponent said nothing to hint one way or   
  
another.  
  
"What do you want? Do you have Catti-brie?" He demanded as he lost his stoic   
  
composure, which didn't happen very often.  
  
At the mention of Catti-brie's name the evil drow laughed wickedly. He looked at   
  
Drizzt directly in the eyes for the first time.  
  
"You think I would let you know? Nay, stupid fool, I have come here to end your   
  
pitiful life, iblith lover." He sneered in the surface tongue. The word iblith caught   
  
Drizzt's attention. In the drow tongue it meant offal; someone not on the same level as   
  
the drow. In most cases it was used to describe a human, a race drow considered to be   
  
beneath them. This could only mean Catti-brie. How did this drow know of her? Another   
  
thing he noticed is that this drow spoke common, something not many drow could do.  
  
Just then Drizzt heard the telltale click of a hand crossbow being fired. He   
  
instinctively went into a roll to miss the quarrel. He heard the quarrel hit the ground   
  
where he was once standing. Drizzt got up from the roll and took off running. How many   
  
were there, Drizzt wondered.   
  
He kept running down the trail for several minutes. He finally turned his head   
  
around to see if he could see his pursuers. To his surprise, he saw nothing. He quickly   
  
skidded to a stop and looked around. Then he heard yet another click from a hand   
  
crossbow only this time he saw which direction it had come from. After swerving off to   
  
the side Drizzt ran full tilt towards the direction he saw the quarrel come shooting from.   
  
He let out a low growl as he crashed into the branches and into a clearing. He   
  
stopped suddenly and looked all around him. He saw no one until he heard laughter. He   
  
spun around to find himself looking at a colorful drow mercenary, Jarlaxle.  
  
Jarlaxle stopped laughing abruptly and looked straight at Drizzt. Drizzt equally   
  
matched his stare and his hands slowly went to the hilts of Twinkle and Icingdeath.  
  
"There is no need dear friend." Jarlaxle called out to Drizzt from his comfortable   
  
position leaning on a tree.  
  
"What do you want from me, Jarlaxle?" Drizzt asked with his voice dripping with   
  
venom. Jarlaxle laughed again at Drizzt.  
  
"I want nothing from you Drizzt Do'Urden. In fact the irony is, is that you will   
  
want something from me!" Jarlaxle blurted out with another laugh. Drizzt looked at him   
  
with a genuine look of confusion on his face.  
  
"My dear Drizzt, have you no mental capacity to think?" Jarlaxle asked the still   
  
confused Drizzt. Jarlaxle rolled his eyes and sighed rather loudly.  
  
"Think Drizzt Do'Urden, think! The drow you were fighting was indeed one of   
  
my many fellow warriors. One of them said something that got you upset, did it not?"   
  
Drizzt's eyes grew wide as he realized what Jarlaxle was telling him.  
  
"Where is she?" He cried in all desperation. He reached for his scimitars and he   
  
pulled them out in front of him and he stalked menacingly towards Jarlaxle. "I'll ask you   
  
one more time. Where is Catti-brie?"  
  
"Well…" Jarlaxle said biding his time. He calmly and absentmindedly started   
  
picking at one of his nails. Drizzt got up right in his face, but Jarlaxle didn't pay him any   
  
mind.  
  
"Where in the nine hells is she Jarlaxle?" Drizzt demanded again. Jarlaxle finally   
  
looked up at Drizzt with disinterest.  
  
"I know where she is but you will have to agree to be my prisoner to get to her."   
  
Drizzt was about to protest but Jarlaxle held up his hand stopping him as he continued.   
  
"That is the only way you can get in. I know that you are desperate to get to her so you   
  
will have to do it my way." The calculating mercenary deducted.  
  
"How can I trust you? From the sounds of it, it seems you are working for her   
  
captor." Drizzt rounded on the mercenary.  
  
"I figured that much so that is why I brought this along." Quicker than Drizzt's   
  
reflexes, Jarlaxle pulled out a hand bow and fired it at Drizzt. The quarrel hit Drizzt and   
  
the poison quickly spread. He slowly fell to the ground.  
  
"Pick him up." Jarlaxle commanded one of his comrades that stepped out from the   
  
trees. This was going to make for an interesting trip, Jarlaxle mused.

Hurray for the fun drow mercenary! You've got to love him. Anyway I owe some   
  
apologies to my readers. I'm sorry about the crappy format for one. I am going to try   
  
uploading in different formats and see if that clears the problem up. A few of you have   
  
mentioned it and honestly I didn't realize it was happening. So sorry about the stupid big   
  
confusing paragraphs. I will try to fix all of the chapters shortly. I also apologize for   
  
taking so long to update, but I hope you enjoyed it never the less. Please review. Thanks!   
  
Wow, long author note… 


	13. The Unveiling

Catti-brie had managed to get across the room and she was attempting to get   
  
herself out of the chair but it was not easy task considering her arms were tied behind her.   
  
She was fighting her way out of the chair when her captor walked into the room. If he   
  
noticed her attempts to escape he didn't say anything.   
  
He grabbed her roughly by her hair and he spoke some words that Catti-brie   
  
couldn't recognize and the rope that was holding her fell free to the floor. He pulled her   
  
on by her hair but she didn't utter a word of complaint. She didn't want to show any signs   
  
of weakness around him.   
  
He dragged her on down many spiraling staircases. They finally stopped at what   
  
must have been the lowest level. He threw her to the floor. She looked around and saw   
  
that the room she was now in must be the dungeon. There were shackles hanging up on   
  
the wall and a bunch of other odd-looking torture devices. What was he going to do to her   
  
now?   
  
"You will be staying down here for the remainder of your visit, which I assure   
  
you will be very short indeed." He said as he rolled at jeweled dagger in his hands, which   
  
looked extremely familiar to Catti-brie. She gasped out loud as she finally recognized it.   
  
He noticed her looking at it and he deftly spun it into its sheath.  
  
He pulled her up from the ground and lifted her up with what seemed like super-  
  
human strength and he threw her against the far wall in the room. As she flew across the   
  
room her necklace came off. She hit the wall extremely hard and she heard a couple of   
  
bones snap and some of her muscles twisted the wrong way. There was no use even   
  
trying to investigate her wounds because she couldn't see anything in this pitch-dark   
  
room.   
  
Her attention was quickly brought back to her current situation when she realized   
  
that he was still in the room somewhere. She could hear him laughing but she couldn't   
  
make out where he was in relation to where she was. His footsteps where absolutely   
  
silent so she couldn't tell where he was until he was right behind her breathing heavily on   
  
her neck. He slipped the necklace around her head for an instant just allowing her to see   
  
momentarily and then he took it off.  
  
After he was done toying with her, he grabbed each of her hands and slammed   
  
them into the wall with such force he broke some fingers on each of her hands along with   
  
jamming several others. The cuffs he had slammed her hands into closed round her   
  
wrists. With the cuffs around her wrists she was now dangling a good few inches above   
  
the floor. She couldn't quite reach the floor flat footed so she had to resort to relieving the   
  
pressure by standing on her toes.  
  
"When I grow tired of this game you will be the one who will pay." Her captor   
  
said with a chilling tone. To emphasize his point he brought out his dagger again and he   
  
placed the sharp edge on her throat and he drew a line of red blood across her throat. She   
  
moaned softly in pain, but she said nothing. He laughed again and he left with her   
  
necklace leaving her all alone in the dark cold room.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"I have a prisoner to bring in." Jarlaxle remarked to his comrade. The man   
  
grunted his reply.  
  
"Put the prisoner in the dungeon then if the prisoner is that important. I have no   
  
time for them. So do what you will with them but make sure you are quick about it." The   
  
cloaked figure replied to Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle bowed low and walked out of the room, his   
  
magical boots clicking as he left.  
  
He motioned the drow that was holding the unconscious Drizzt to follow him.   
  
They walked down the dimly lit corridor until they reached the end room. Jarlaxle   
  
commanded his comrade to put Drizzt on the ground. He deftly pulled out a vial and put   
  
it up to Drizzt's lips. He forced it down his throat. Drizzt coughed as the potion woke him   
  
up. He opened his lavender orbs and looked around blinking to try to orient himself.   
  
"Say nothing." Jarlaxle ordered Drizzt as soon as he started to open his mouth to   
  
question the drow mercenary. "I am going to tell my companion that the prisoner I   
  
brought down was just some rogue that was caught spying on our grounds and that I had   
  
the guards dispose of you quickly. I could not tell him your true identity now could I?"   
  
Jarlaxle told a perplexed Drizzt.  
  
He led Drizzt through a dizzying array of corridors and hallways. Every time that   
  
Drizzt tried to get a good luck around him, Jarlaxle would yell at him to keep his head   
  
low. Soon they came to their destination. Jarlaxle pushed open the heavy doors and   
  
hurried Drizzt inside. Once they were inside, Jarlaxle hastily closed the doors. The room   
  
was so dark that Drizzt couldn't even see his hand even when he held it out in front of his   
  
face. Jarlaxle's voice soon pulled him back from his musings.   
  
"I believe that is who you were looking for, I am correct?" Jarlaxle questioned   
  
Drizzt as he pointed over to the far corner of the room. Drizzt turned his head and as soon   
  
as he saw Catti-brie he ran in her direction, and some invisible barrier stopped his   
  
descent. He ran his fingers along the smooth wall trying to find the edge to it. Jarlaxle   
  
calmly watched Drizzt.   
  
"That is just an image. You cannot get to her that way. Besides, now is not the   
  
time. The way is not yet clear." Jarlaxle said sternly to Drizzt. Drizzt fiercely turned away   
  
from the image.  
  
"Do you not see that she is injured? She needs help, and she needs to get out of   
  
here. I have no idea who you are working for and who has done this or even why you are   
  
helping me. I do thank you for your help but I will not take orders from you!" Drizzt shot   
  
back to Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle kept his usual calm demeanor.  
  
"But do you not see? You are in my debt, my dear friend. You are of honorable   
  
intent are you not? Will you not help a friend who helped you?" He asked with a wide   
  
smile forming across his ebony skinned face. Drizzt narrowed his lavender eyes but said   
  
nothing. He glared at Jarlaxle for a moment but he finally sighed and nodded to him.  
  
"What is it that you want me to do?" Drizzt asked Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle's face broke   
  
into a wide grin. His white teeth were a strange contrast to his ebony skin, but it seemed   
  
to suit the clever mercenary.  
  
"Let's just say my comrade needs a healthy dose of humility, that and he has in   
  
his possession an artifact of great power which I thought to be destroyed. Follow me. "   
  
With those words Jarlaxle turned on his heel and he walked out of the room. Drizzt   
  
turned away from the departing Jarlaxle to the image of Catti-brie. How he wished he   
  
could run over to her and tell her everything will be okay. Drizzt sighed and turned back   
  
around to find Jarlaxle standing right in front of him.  
  
"Remember, technically you are my prisoner." Jarlaxle carefully reminded Drizzt.   
  
Drizzt looked back over at Catti-brie one last time. He noticed that one side of her cheek   
  
was swollen and there was a long cut around her neck. She was held to the wall by some   
  
shackles. Her wrists were raw and they had even bled. She was in absolute terrible shape.   
  
It reminded him of the time he had gone back to Menzoberranzan and how they had   
  
abused him and how Catti-brie had come to his rescue. What irony, he thought to himself.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"Get yer arses movin'!" Bruenor shouted to the troops. "Me girl needs our help!"   
  
He shouted at them. The dwarves continued marching at the king's expectance.   
  
"If we moved any faster I might fly!" Regis grumbled to Wulfgar. Wulfgar   
  
chuckled at the halfling's remark. In truth Regis was just as worried about Catti-brie and   
  
Drizzt as Bruenor was. When the Companions of the Hall where not all together there   
  
was something wrong and they all felt it. They had always looked out for each other and   
  
this time was no different then any other.  
  
"We're gonna find 'em for ye, me king." Pwent assured Bruenor as they resumed   
  
their march. Bruenor nodded but he didn't comment.  
  
"I am sure that these tracks belong to Guenhwyvar. These lighter ones must   
  
belong to Drizzt." Wulfgar pointed out some tracks.  
  
"Damn twinkly elf." Bruenor muttered under his breath. Wulfgar managed a   
  
smile. Regis just kept plowing on down the trail without further complaint. The   
  
remaining companions just kept going, following the trail.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
Catti-brie's cloaked captor walked into the room and he came over to Catti-brie.  
  
"Are you enjoying your stay my dear?" The he asked Catti-brie. She didn't reply but   
  
instead kept her head down low. He grabbed her chin and pulled her eyes up to meet his.   
  
"It's about time you know who I am. That is if you haven't already figured it out.   
  
It is about time you find out just how much danger you are in this time!" He pulled his   
  
cowl back. "Remember me?" He asked in a very threatening tone. All Catti-brie could   
  
see was two red eyes, which was the tell tale sign of infrared vision. Judging by the   
  
roughness of his fingers he wasn't an elf. What human would have infrared vision?   
  
Before she could even say anything her red eye captor pulled her cat's eye circlet over   
  
her head so she could see.   
  
She couldn't believe her eyes at what she saw! He was indeed a few years older   
  
and by the lines on his face she could tell those years hadn't been to kind. His eyes   
  
showed no life but instead seemed to gleam with inner ambitions. His hair was slicked   
  
back and greasy. His face showed several days of stubble, which only added to his dirty   
  
persona. All in all he was still Artemis Entreri, Drizzt and Catti-brie's worst enemy!

Uh, oh! Is our elven friend in trouble? I hope you enjoyed this chapter.   
  
Please read and review! Thanks! 


	14. The Plan

After climbing two flights of stairs Drizzt had reached Jarlaxle's private quarters.  
  
"In my chambers, no one will think to disturb us." Jarlaxle opened the door and   
  
roughly shoved Drizzt through the door. Drizzt turned and looked at him incredulously.  
  
"Just for show." Jarlaxle replied to his stare with a wink. Drizzt muttered under   
  
his breath but he didn't reply directly to Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle motioned for him to sit down   
  
but Drizzt just stood and looked threateningly at him.  
  
"Let us be done with this business as soon as possible. So do hurry." Drizzt said   
  
with his arms folded across his chest. Jarlaxle almost laughed out loud at the sight but   
  
decided against it for he did not want the drow's shiny scimitar sticking out of his gullet!   
  
Instead of answering him right away Jarlaxle wiggled his fingers and a fine goblet full of   
  
wine appeared in his hand.   
  
"Come let us rest for a spell." Jarlaxle bade Drizzt pointing to a chair in the next   
  
to him. Drizzt lost his stoic demeanor in one of the few times in his life. He grabbed his   
  
scimitars and thrust them within an inch of Jarlaxle's nose.  
  
"Either you tell me what you want or I leave with Catti-brie at my side either for   
  
the good or bad of Jarlaxle!" Drizzt said loudly in a menacing tone. His eyes burned with   
  
an inner fire that even unnerved the steady mercenary. With a wave of his hand the goblet   
  
disappeared.  
  
"Alright then let's get down to business then. Artemis Entreri has something that   
  
needs to be destroyed and perhaps my fair weathered friend needs to be degraded a bit   
  
from his self proclaimed high stature." Jarlaxle told Drizzt. He got right to the point by   
  
adding. "Entreri has the crystal shard."  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"This has got to be it!" Wulfgar called out to Bruenor and the rest of the dwarves.   
  
He was standing outside of a cave, which was hidden underneath the forest. There were   
  
several footprints leading in and out of the cave. Several were light like Drizzt's. Some of   
  
the tracks ran together as if someone had been dragged or forced against their own will.  
  
Bruenor came over and examined the tracks and the entrance of the cave. He   
  
muttered under his breath but he said nothing out loud to Wulfgar. Finally after a long   
  
pause he looked back to the group of anxiously waiting dwarves.  
  
"What are ye all waitin' yer?" He stood facing them with his hands on his hips.   
  
He turned away and led them into the cave. The dwarves felt there way along the cave   
  
with their sensitive hands feeling the hard stone.  
  
The deeper they went the lighter it seemed to get to the dwarves. Bruenor   
  
attributed it to the fact there must be torches burning. The deeper they went the more they   
  
began to doubt their decision to go into the cave. All around them there were noises that   
  
no one could identify. Threatening shadows seem to leer around ever corner, ready to   
  
jump out at them.  
  
After several hours of traveling through the cave they finally saw the torches that   
  
Bruenor was talking about. Only the torches weren't what they were expecting. The   
  
torches were indeed lit but it wasn't the torch itself that was so peculiar. Bruenor went   
  
over to the one of the torches and took a long look at them. The flames were not the   
  
typical array of reds and oranges. The flames were purple and green. The strange flame   
  
didn't give off as much light as a regular flame either. Bruenor was sure he had seen this   
  
strange flame somewhere else. Wulfgar instantly recognized it.  
  
"Fairie fire." He whispered. Bruenor looked at him with a total look of confusion   
  
on his face.  
  
"Whada ye say boy?" Bruenor asked him. Wulfgar's eyes were staring blankly   
  
into the flames.  
  
"Fairie fire, like Drizzt has used." Wulfgar repeated. Bruenor looked away from   
  
him and into the flames. All that were nearby would have seen the surly dwarf's face   
  
blanch under his fiery red beard.   
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
"He has the what? Cadderly told me the shard was destroyed. How could it be so   
  
that he is in possession of it?" Drizzt questioned Jarlaxle after the stunning revelation.   
  
Jarlaxle nodded.  
  
"The shard was destroyed. I was there with him, but Cadderly told us that there   
  
maybe several copies of shard scattered all throughout the realms. He was right. Entreri   
  
stumbled upon this one and it seems to have completely consumed him. He has been bent   
  
on getting you ever sense he came into possession of it. I do not have the power to get the   
  
shard away from him. The shard will consume me to, just as it had before we destroyed   
  
the original." Jarlaxle confirmed for Drizzt.  
  
"Do you have a plan?" Drizzt asked Jarlaxle slowly. Jarlaxle nodded and a wicked   
  
grin formed across his ebony-skinned face as he began to tell Drizzt about his plan.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"What do you want with me Entreri?" Catti-brie asked him very slowly not sure   
  
how to act. Entreri looked at Catti-brie and he slowly smiled evilly.   
  
"To make you suffer." He whispered slowly to Catti-brie. He knelt down on one   
  
knee and looked into her eyes. She could sense that he was looking for any sign of   
  
weakness so she steeled her gaze. Entreri laughed at her attempt to meet his gaze. He   
  
backed away from her.  
  
"I have taken it upon myself to make everything that ever loved Drizzt Do'Urden   
  
suffer. With the help of this." In his outstretched hand he held out the crystal shard.   
  
"With this I can get the revenge that I so dearly seek! It gives me the powers to do   
  
whatever I wish!" He looked over at Catti-brie. "There is nothing you and your pathetic   
  
little troop can do to stop the likes of Artemis Entreri the all powerful!" He smacked her   
  
across the face to make sure his point got home.   
  
Catti-brie looked up at him through tear-rimmed eyes. She knew she had to stay   
  
strong so she wouldn't give him any kind of ammunition to use on her or her friends. As   
  
a reward for her defiance, Entreri kicked her in the stomach. She fell back against the   
  
wall in agony.  
  
"If you were not so important to me I would have let Jarlaxle and his drow friends   
  
have at you, but no, I need you." Entreri said to Catti-brie if not to himself. Satisfied that   
  
she was in a great amount of pain Entreri left the room. Catti-brie managed to looked up at   
  
him leaving before she fell back against the wall in agony.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #  
  
"Does that mean there's damned drow in these tunnels?" Bruenor asked Wulfgar   
  
who was staring off into the side of the tunnel. Wulfgar didn't fully recognize that   
  
Bruenor was talking to him because he was deep in thought. Bruenor was just about to   
  
ask Wulfgar what he thought they should do until Regis came over and tugged on his   
  
sleeve. Bruenor was about to yell at Regis when Regis put his finger to his lips and   
  
pointed into the shadows.  
  
With his senses screaming at him he stared deeply into the shadows. He saw what   
  
Regis had been pointing out. A figure was slowly moving through the shadows. Bruenor   
  
looked back to Wulfgar to see if he had noticed something was amiss. Wulfgar was   
  
tightly gripping his warhammer and his face was set in grim determination. Regis lit a   
  
torch and he walked forward into the shadows. Bruenor and Wulfgar did like wise.   
  
As soon as they started walking forward the figure retreated further back into the   
  
shadows. Regis ran forward at the figure. He heard a curse being muttered in some   
  
language he couldn't recognize. Wulfgar quickly caught up to the halfling. The   
  
mysterious figure was nowhere to be seen.   
  
Wulfgar whirled around when he heard the soft sound of someone dropping to the   
  
ground behind him. He found him staring face to face with a drow warrior. Wulfgar   
  
snarled and swung his mighty war hammer at the drow. In return the drow just laughed   
  
and quickly sidestepped his swing.  
  
"You really thought it would be that easy, barbarian?" The drow asked Wulfgar.   
  
Wulfgar growled again as he swung his hammer. The drow once again sidestepped his   
  
massive swing.  
  
"Where are they?" Wulfgar demanded angrily at the drow. The drow ran his long   
  
slender through his long white mane. He looked innocently at Wulfgar.  
  
"Whom are you talking about?" The drow asked Wulfgar. Wulfgar leapt at the   
  
drow and landed face down on the ground. The drow laughed wickedly at Wulfgar.  
  
Regis rushed up behind the drow and put his little mase on the drow's slender   
  
shoulder. Bruenor walked in front of him and put his sharp axe to the drow's slender   
  
neck.  
  
"Yer not gonna make fun of me boy anymore ye damned drow. Yer gonna tell us   
  
all ye know." Bruenor smiled wickedly as he slid the blade closer to the drow's neck.   
  
"That is if ye want to save yer sorry little neck."  
  
Sorry I have taken so long to update, but I hope that you have enjoyed it! Please   
  
r/r! Thanks! 


	15. One Foot In The Door

Drizzt ran his sensitive fingers along the wall. He could feel every sound in the   
  
walls because his fingers were so in tuned. He had become once again a creature from the   
  
Underdark. Finally after walking through several tunnels, Drizzt finally came to his   
  
destination. It was indeed the room Jarlaxle had described, it was out of the way and the   
  
door was ornately inscribed with magical runes.  
  
Drizzt muttered the arcane phrase that Jarlaxle had told him would open the   
  
magically sealed door. It swung silently open and Drizzt cautiously stepped inside. He   
  
heard someone's shallow breathing. He allowed his eyes to slip into the heat seeking   
  
vision. He saw a form of a man sleeping on the bed in the far corner of the room. The   
  
man rolled over so his face was facing Drizzt. It was Entreri. He looked a bit older and he   
  
had a beard starting to grow but he still was Entreri the assassin. Drizzt was indeed in the   
  
right room.  
  
Drizzt had to be extremely quiet as to not wake him up. Jarlaxle had advised   
  
Drizzt against any action against Entreri if at all possible. Jarlaxle had mentioned   
  
something about Entreri having immense strength, which was probably given to him by   
  
the crystal shard. Entreri had been a formidable foe even before he came to possess the   
  
shard.   
  
Jarlaxle had also told Drizzt that Entreri kept the crystal shard close to him at all   
  
times, usually in a leather pouch that he wears on his waist. Drizzt had figured that the   
  
shard was probably lying next to Entreri's bed. Drizzt did a quick scan of the room to   
  
make sure there were no guards and to see if he could see the shard. He saw neither.   
  
So Drizzt slowly crept further into the room over towards Entreri's bed. Drizzt   
  
looked down at the Entreri with disgust and hatred. How Drizzt wished he could plunge   
  
that jeweled dagger of Entreri's right into his evil black heart. Let him feel the pain that   
  
he had inflicted on so many others. Let him know the agony, the emptiness, Drizzt   
  
thought to himself. The world would be a much better place without terrible killers like   
  
Artemis Entreri. He knew though that he couldn't. He had promised Jarlaxle that he   
  
wouldn't and he had to honor that promise. Looking away from Entreri, Drizzt noticed a   
  
pouch lying on a table right in front of him. Being ever so cautious, Drizzt opened it up   
  
slowly. Inside was just what he was looking for, the crystal shard.   
  
It looked every bit as malevolent as the last time Drizzt had seen it. Right now it   
  
was powerless, for without sunlight it was useless. Drizzt quickly stuffed it back into the   
  
pouch. With the pouch tightly in his hand Drizzt quickly and quietly left the room   
  
without incident.   
  
# # # # # # # # # # #  
  
"Well it's good to hear that ye cooperated with us elf." Bruenor said to the drow   
  
they had captured after the drow had told all that he knew. Drow were an extremely   
  
unloyal race. When there is personal gain, or their lives are in danger they will do   
  
anything, especially turn against one another.  
  
"Yer gonna lead us to this openin' so we can find me daughter!" Bruenor said as   
  
he slowly lowered his ax away from the drow's neck. Wulfgar grabbed the drow by his   
  
shoulders and Regis quickly tied the drow's hands behind his back. Satisfied, Bruenor   
  
prodded the drow in the back with the blunt side of his weapon.   
  
"Well, we ain't got all day! Lead on!" He said to the drow. "And don't ye try any   
  
funny business! If ye do, me and me friends will be sure to cut ye up in pieces!"   
  
Muttering something under his breath that no one could here, the drow lead them through   
  
the dark corridors of the cave.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #  
  
"Here is the crystal Jarlaxle, now we are to go get Catti-brie!" Drizzt shouted at   
  
Jarlaxle. Drizzt showed Jarlaxle the shard as proof.  
  
"Put it away, put it away! Even now I can here it calling out to me." Jarlaxle   
  
shouted back to Drizzt. Drizzt promptly obeyed and he slid the pouch inside another at   
  
his side.  
  
"Now tell me how to get Catti-brie, Jarlaxle!" Drizzt said forcefully to Jarlaxle.   
  
Jarlaxle nodded and he walked over to the corner of the room and he walked back over to   
  
Drizzt holding a ring of keys. He grabbed two keys on the ring and he held them up in   
  
front of Drizzt's face.  
  
"This one," He grabbed the key to show Drizzt. "Opens the dungeon door. This   
  
one," He dropped the one key to grab the other. "Opens the shackles. The dungeon is on   
  
the lowest floor, so you won't be able to walk around the corridors like that, especially   
  
sense they are expecting you to come." Jarlaxle chuckled.   
  
"So that is where this comes in." Jarlaxle said as he tossed him a long dark   
  
colored cape. "Put this on and take off your green cape. Your green cape is pretty   
  
distinguishable. I am also sure that you know how to hide your face pretty well." Jarlaxle   
  
slyly remarked as Drizzt put the cape on. Drizzt pulled the cowl low over his face.  
  
"How is this?" He asked. Jarlaxle nodded his approval.  
  
"Here are the keys. Just leave them in the corner here, by the fireplace." Jarlaxle   
  
said as he pointed to a spot on the map he had just has drawn. "It is at the end of the   
  
corridor that leads straight to the dungeon." Jarlaxle said as he pointed out where the   
  
dungeon was. "And here is where you are. You need to take the stairs straight down, go   
  
around the corner and take that hallway all the way down to the end. There is the   
  
dungeon." Jarlaxle said as he handed Drizzt the map. "I wish you go luck, for a woman as   
  
beautiful as Catti-brie doesn't deserve to die in a desolate place such as this!" Jarlaxle   
  
said with a sly grin and a wink.  
  
Drizzt didn't reply but instead he turned on his heel and walked out the door. He   
  
pulled his cowl low over his face and he checked the hallway left and right before he   
  
made his way to the stairs.  
  
# # # # # # # #  
  
"I think he is leading us in circles!" Wulfgar whispered harshly to Bruenor.   
  
Bruenor nodded in agreement but he didn't say anything back to Wulfgar but instead he   
  
yelled at the drow leading them.  
  
"We've been goin' round and round in damn circles! Where in the nine hells are   
  
ye takin' us drow?" Bruenor yelled at the drow captive. The drow laughed and took a   
  
step back from Bruenor.  
  
"Well you see good dwarf, I am gone!" He said. With a snap of his fingers the   
  
drow disappeared. Bruenor ran forward to where the drow had last been standing. The   
  
drow was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Damn it all!" Regis huffed. Bruenor was still frantically looking left and right   
  
still trying to find the drow. Wulfgar sighed heavily as he reached into his pack and   
  
pulled out a torch and he lit it. Regis looked over at him.  
  
"Well we can't be any worse off can we?" Wulfgar asked Regis who in turn   
  
shrugged, and Bruenor also nodded his head in agreement. Wulfgar slowly lead them off   
  
into the darkness.

In response to small package's question, yes I have most of it written and I am just  
  
uploading it piece by piece. I haven't quite figured out the end yet though...  
  
Once again thanks to all of my reviewers. 


	16. Looking For A Way Out

"They are still lost in the lower tunnels. I successfully lead them around." He   
  
reported.   
  
"Good, good. Let Entreri know also, for he too must know of their coming, but be   
  
certain that none of us are to be taking part it the action unless I give the okay. Is that   
  
understood?" Jarlaxle asked. The other drow nodded his head and with a snap of his   
  
fingers he was gone.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #   
  
Drizzt reached out to the door and pulled it quickly open and he slipped inside   
  
silently. Once inside he looked around and quickly saw her hanging on the wall looking   
  
worse than he had first thought.  
  
He quickly ran over to her, his feet seeming to barely touch the floor. He was over   
  
to her in an instant. He ripped the cowl off of his face so she would recognize him. He   
  
gently lifted her head so he was looking right at her face. She wasn't awake so he gently   
  
shook her to try to wake her up. She moaned softly but didn't wake up. He quickly undid   
  
the shackles and he caught her just before she slid to the ground. Holding her tightly in   
  
his arms he shook her again to try and wake her up, only this time it worked.  
  
Her eyelids slowly fluttered open and she looked at Drizzt through unfocused   
  
eyes. She seemed confused for a moment and then she shook her head as to clear the   
  
confusion. She looked at Drizzt again, this time with tears in her eyes.  
  
"Drizzt? Is that ye? How could... I thought ye be dead..." She stammered to a   
  
stop. He looked down at her in his arms and he smiled. He nodded to her.  
  
"Yes, it is me Drizzt, Catti-brie. Everything is going to be just fine. I am right   
  
here." He said softly and soothingly to her. She smiled through her tears and she brought   
  
her sore arms up and put them around Drizzt's neck. She grimaced in pain as she tried to   
  
close her broken fingers around a lock of his hair. He looked at her with concern but she   
  
shrugged her shoulders. So he didn't press the matter.  
  
"Don't you ever leave me again!" He said softly as he looked lovingly down at   
  
her in his arms. She smiled and pulled herself up close to Drizzt's face. She gently leaned   
  
closer to his face and she kissed him tenderly on the lips.  
  
"Anything you say, hero o' mine." She said as she pulled back from the kiss. He   
  
laughed softly.  
  
"We will have to continue this later." He said with a grin. He switched to a more   
  
serious tone by adding, "We have to get you out of here, are you well enough to walk?"   
  
She nodded her head. With that he gently sat her on the ground. As soon as she was on   
  
her feet he grabbed her hand to lead her out. She took a sharp intake of breath and bit her   
  
lip so hard that it bleed. Noticing the intake of breath, Drizzt turned around to regard her.   
  
She shrugged again and she looked down at her swollen hands and then back up at him.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't..." Catti-brie's lips brushing up against his stopped him   
  
suddenly. He almost pulled back in surprise, but he suddenly being held in place by her   
  
sweet embrace.  
  
"It's not yer fault. Ye didn't know 'bout me hand." She said soothingly to Drizzt   
  
as she gently stroked his cheek. He smiled at her and he pulled her close to him in a tight   
  
hug. She pulled back almost immediately.  
  
"What's wrong?" Drizzt asked as his face twisted up in concern. She shook her   
  
head as she doubled over grasping at her chest. He moved closer and gently moved her   
  
swollen, broken hands away.  
  
"Just let me see Catti, let me see." He whispered soothingly to her. She nodded   
  
her face still twisted in a mask of agony. He gently ran his hands along her stomach and   
  
sides to try to determine if there were any breaks. When he ran along his hand along a   
  
certain spot she gasped in agony and she doubled over again into his strong arms.  
  
Drizzt pulled a vial of healing potion from his belt and he gave it to her, "Here,   
  
drink this Catti." The pain was so intense that she didn't come back upright right away.   
  
He rubbed her back and whispered sweet nothings to her as she slowly stood back up.   
  
She swooned from the pain and Drizzt had to pull her back into his arms. He gently lifted   
  
the vial to her lips and made her swallow it.  
  
"It looks like three of your ribs are crushed. This should help, so just breathe   
  
slowly. That's it, just relax." Drizzt whispered directly into Catti-brie's ear as he held her   
  
close to him. She leaned back on him drawing on his support.  
  
"It feels a bit better Drizzt." Catti-brie said as she slowly began to breathe easier.   
  
She gently put her hand on his chest and pushed her self-upright away from him.  
  
"Here let me see how bad it is." Drizzt said. He tenderly put his hand on the area   
  
of the break. This time Catti-brie didn't pull away in pain.   
  
"As long as the area isn't tender to the touch, I think were going to have to   
  
continue on. Are you okay?" Drizzt asked, as he looked her over to see if he could see   
  
anything else.  
  
"There is one thing. Right here." Catti-brie said as she pointed to her lips. He   
  
smiled and kissed her tenderly and gently on the lips. She pulled away and looked at him   
  
earnestly in the eyes.  
  
"Oh how I missed ye Drizzt. When he told me that ye were dead it felt like   
  
somethin' inside o' me died. I couldn't even think 'bout livin' a life with out ye and I got   
  
to thinkin' 'bout us and..." She stopped not sure how to continue. Drizzt gently placed a   
  
finger on her lips.  
  
"We have all the time in the world to talk about this but not now. We have to get   
  
you out of here, but I must tell you, that as soon as Entreri took you away from me I too   
  
felt as if something had died within my very own heart. I couldn't live with that hole,   
  
Catti-brie." He told her. Her eyes quickly filled with tears.  
  
"I love you." He whispered softly to her as he gently rubbed her shoulders. She   
  
responded back immediately.  
  
"I love ye too, Drizzt." He smiled with an inner warmth that he had only dreamed   
  
of in the underdark.   
  
"We have to get moving Catti, Entreri mustn't know of your escape until it's too   
  
late." Drizzt said with a wink. He walked on ahead of her and he motioned for her to   
  
follow. He opened the door and peeked out waiting for the right moment for them to   
  
make the escape.  
  
# # # # # # # # #  
  
"Why do all these damn corridors look all the same?!" Bruenor exclaimed with   
  
anger. Regis nodded sadly at Bruenor's sad but true statement.  
  
"We have been going around in circles for the longest time." Regis added.   
  
Wulfgar nodded but he continued to press on hoping there was something ahead that he   
  
had missed before. He walked up to a wall to see if he could find any secret   
  
compartments but to his surprise his hand slid right through the wall.  
  
"Bruenor, Regis come quickly! I have found a secret tunnel." Wulfgar called out   
  
to his two friends.

Wow, it has been a while since an update! Sorry about that! Hoped you liked this chapter.


	17. New Found Fears

"Drizzt Do'Urden is here?!" Entreri yelled at the drow messenger. The drow   
  
warrior nodded his head. Entreri laughed at his good fortune. Drizzt was here in his   
  
palace. His plan had worked. Now he just had to catch him, which would be no easy feat.   
  
He paced back and forth hoping an idea would come to him. One did quickly. He reached   
  
for his pouch, which held the crystal shard only to find it wasn't there.  
  
"Where is it?!" He yelled at the top of his voice. "Did you take it?" He demanded   
  
at the drow that was standing in front of him. The drow was normally not frightened by   
  
the human but after listening to Entreri he actually was a bit frightened for his life.   
  
Entreri stalked forward and grabbed the unfortunate drow around the neck and he began   
  
to steadily squeeze.  
  
"I will ask you one more time thief. Where is the shard?" Entreri asked the poor   
  
drow. The drow started to deny any knowledge about the shard but he though better of it   
  
and so he decided to tell the truth or at least part of it to save his own skin.  
  
"Drizzt took it." The drow managed to say between gasps of breath. Entreri threw   
  
him to the ground in disgust.  
  
"How do you know?" Entreri asked suspiciously. The drow slowly climbed up   
  
from the ground and he stood facing Entreri rubbing his neck.  
  
"The dungeon guard has claimed to have seen Drizzt. He mentioned something   
  
about a leather pouch being in his hand." The drow said calmly trying to appear as   
  
though he was telling the truth. Entreri turned away from him. He wrinkled his brow up   
  
in confusion. Why would Drizzt have just taken the shard without finding Catti-brie?   
  
Another question, how would he have known about the shard? There were to many holes   
  
in this drow's theory. Entreri knew just how to handle these types.  
  
"Very well." Entreri said calmly before he turned around. He could almost hear   
  
the drow breathe a huge sigh of relief.  
  
"If that is what you say." Entreri said as he turned around quickly drawing his   
  
dagger. To the credit of the drow he had pulled out his sword to defend himself but it was   
  
too late. Entreri's dagger hit it's target dead on.  
  
"To bad you would not tell me the truth you fool." Entreri said to the drow that   
  
was now on the ground grasping desperately at his open throat. He soon fell to the floor   
  
lifeless in his own blood.  
  
Entreri wiped his dagger clean on the drow's cloak. He quickly spun the dagger   
  
and he replaced it in its sheath. He stopped just before he went to consult Jarlaxle about   
  
this disturbing news. Perhaps Entreri should go see for himself what is going on? Entreri   
  
quickly left towards the dungeon to prepare his victim.  
  
# # # # # # # # # # #   
  
Drizzt darted into the darkness of the hallway as soon as the corridor was empty.   
  
Catti-brie followed soon after him. They snuck down the hallway as quiet as any thief.   
  
They had just about made it to the end of the hallway when the heavy door on the other   
  
end of the hallway swung open with a loud bang. Drizzt grabbed Catti-brie and quickly   
  
put her up against the wall behind him. She winced at the pain but quickly grimaced it   
  
away so she wouldn't cry out and give away their position.   
  
Drizzt's heat seeking eyes allowed him to see that it was Entreri. Catti-brie must   
  
have been able to tell who it was because he heard a sharp intake of breath from her. He   
  
turned around and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back but only half-heartedly.   
  
What evils had she faced under Entreri, Drizzt thought to himself. The blood boiled   
  
within in him when he thought about anyone ever hurting Catti-brie. Part of him wanted   
  
to go kill Entreri but the more sensible part of him reminded him of his duties and that he   
  
had Catti-brie with him.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #  
  
Entreri had walked over to the dungeon door and he pushed it open and he   
  
quickly ran inside. What he saw only heightened his anger. Catti-brie was indeed gone   
  
just as he had predicted.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #   
  
"I think it is time to go." Drizzt whispered to Catti-brie. She nodded in agreement.   
  
Catti-brie placed a hand on his shoulder to push him down the hall when he quickly   
  
pulled away. She looked at him in confusion but he didn't reply he just started down the   
  
hall keeping in the shadows as much as possible. Catti-brie followed right behind him,   
  
she tried to be as quiet as he was but to Drizzt it sounded like an army of dwarves were   
  
marching right behind him. They kept going down the corridor hoping to find a quick   
  
way out.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #   
  
"Cursed fools!" Entreri yelled at the top of his lungs. Of course no one was   
  
around him, they had all fled off at Jarlaxle's command. Entreri was still nervous though.   
  
He felt so powerless without the shard. He paced back and forth thinking of the horrible   
  
things he could do to Drizzt and his comrades. That would sooth his mind for the time   
  
being. He had to get the shard back, no matter what the cost was. He needed it. Entreri let   
  
the shard return to the back of his mind. He returned his thoughts to the cruel   
  
punishments that he could do to Drizzt.  
  
# # # # # # # # # #   
  
"What have ye found Wulfgar me boy?" Bruenor asked. Wulfgar didn't answer   
  
right away; he just continued to run his hands all along the stone that was in front of him.  
  
"I swear I thought I saw this wall move." Wulfgar finally answered Bruenor's   
  
question. Bruenor grunted in returned and walked over to the wall and he tapped on it   
  
three times in a row.  
  
"It seems very solid if yer askin' me." Bruenor grumbled as he started to walk   
  
away. Wulfgar grabbed his shoulder and turned his back around.  
  
"Solid?" He asked a dumbfounded dwarf. The wall that Bruenor had just hit was   
  
gone reveling another passage. Bruenor stuttered and stammered as he tried to find   
  
explain his reasoning.  
  
"Why are we just standing here? Let's go!" Regis exclaimed as he charged   
  
headlong into the opening. Bruenor shrugged his shoulders at Wulfgar's questioning   
  
look, and they hurried down the passageway.

I finally got off my bum and uploaded! Here I am on vacation and I am uploading a new chapter. Geez, I must really have no life! Hahaha! Anyway, hope this chapter didn't bore you to tears. Please read and review! Thanks a million once again to my reviewers, you guys really keep me motivated!


	18. The Meeting

Entreri could not contain his anger any longer, so he decided to go out to look for Drizzt himself. Using rational thinking, Entreri deducted that Drizzt is probably making his way to the dungeon or he is in the general area.

Entreri stormed out of the room on his way he ran into Jarlaxle.

"Where is he?" Entreri said as he grabbed Jarlaxle by the collar of his colorful cloak. Jarlaxle looked back at Entreri with just as much intensity.

"Who is that you seek?" Jarlaxle asked with innocence. Entreri shook him in anger.

"You know perfectly well of whom I seek Jarlaxle!" Entreri hissed through his teeth at him.

"No dear Entreri, I know not who you seek." Jarlaxle replied with supreme confidence. Entreri's face flushed red at his statement. He threw Jarlaxle up against the nearest wall. Jarlaxle let out a whoosh of air as all the air in his lungs escaped.

"Tell me where Drizzt Do'Urden is you fool!" Entreri spat at Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle let out a slight sigh before he replied.

"Well why didn't you just say so to begin with! We are searching for Drizzt this very moment my friend." Jarlaxle said with the hope to calm Entreri. Entreri released his hold on Jarlaxle's collar allowing him to slip to the floor.

"Good, then we shall find him!" Entreri claimed triumphantly before walking away from Jarlaxle who was rubbing his sore shoulders.

# # # # # # # # #

Drizzt was trying to keep a quick steady pace to put as much distance between him and Entreri as possible. He turned around to see if Catti-brie was right behind him. She was coming but rather slowly, and she was breathing quiet heavily. He stopped and waited for her to catch up. She saw him stop and she quickly ran to his position. Before she could even say a word he spoke up.

"Do you need me to slow down?" Catti-brie looked at him with confusion. She tried to say something, but she found she had no breath to say it with. The room seemed to spin all about her; the dim colors seemed to swirl into one big dismal black hole.

"Catti?" Drizzt anxiously asked, as her eyes seemed to fall back into her head. He quickly grabbed her around the waist to keep her from falling. She rolled back limply into his arms.

"Catti! Catti, wake up!" Drizzt whispered harshly. He shook her to try to make her stir but her head just lolled from side to side. Drizzt looked around desperately. He couldn't very well carry her for any great distance, no matter how light she was. What if he had to defend himself? Then what?

Drizzt gently laid her down against the wall next to the first doorway that he saw. He took the cloak that was on her back and he gently laid it on top of her to keep her from sticking out to any drow heat seeking eyes.

He then swiftly opened the door and walked inside. He glanced around quickly and he noted that the room was used for some kind of storage. He went back outside and picked Catti-brie up gently carrying her in his arms. He walked through the doorway and with his foot he closed the door quietly.

He gently put Catti-brie down on the floor. He laid two fingers lightly on her neck to check for a pulse. It was there strong and steady and she was still breathing, but her breath came in harsh ragged intervals. It had to be from the bruising of her broken rib, that the healing potion hadn't quite healed.

"Oh, Catti! You can't give up now. Please, please hang in there. It will be okay. I am right here. Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis are missing you. They want you to come home. They need you Catti, and so do I." Drizzt pleaded with her.

"Please Catti, wake up." He whispered. He gently stroked her hair in a soothing manner just as much for himself as it was for her. "Please wake up." He whispered again under his breath. He gently lifted her up and sat her down in his lap. He cradled her to his chest while the tears ran down his cheeks.

"What did he do to you Catti-brie? What did he do?" He asked softly into the quiet room.

# # # # # # # # #

Regis led the way as he boldly flew through the opening. The dwarf and barbarian were in hot pursuit trying to keep up with the surprisingly quick halfling.

They ran through a maze of twisted tunnels and winding caves. Regis allowed his eyes switch to the heat spectrum as he plowed on through the tunnels. The rest of his friends were following closely behind so they wouldn't lose the halfling in the pitch-black tunnels.

Regis turned around momentarily to check and see if his friends were keeping up with him.

"Are you alright back there, Bruenor?" Regis asked the hardened dwarf. Bruenor grumbled something in response.

"What did you say?" Regis asked as he turned his head around as he was running forward. Bruenor was just about ready to shout a word of warning when Regis ran smack dab into a wall at the end of the tunnel.

"Ye okay Rumblebelly?" Bruenor asked as he reached the wall that Regis had hit. Regis groaned but nodded his head.

"I hope that nobody heard ye, ye stumbling oaf!" Bruenor whispered harshly as he helped Regis to his feet.

# # # # # # # # #

Somebody did here it though. Drizzt looked up from the unconscious Catti-brie and around the room to the direction of the sound he heard. Catti-brie stirred in his arms as he slowly got up.

"Drizzt?" She muttered after her eyes fluttered open. He rushed back over to her side and wrapped an arm securely around her waist. She leaned back drawing on the support of his arm. He smiled at her as he brushed the hair back from her face.

"Drizz..." Catti-brie started but was stopped by his finger gently touching her lips. He shook his head to signify to her to be quiet. He gently moved his arm from her waist and he leaned her back against the wall.

He stealthfuly crept away over to where he heard the disturbance.

# # # # # # # # #

"What de hell was dat?" Bruenor whispered harshly to his companions. Each had there turn to shrug accordingly. Regis boldly walked forward first. He drew out his little mace that Bruenor had crafted especially for him.

Regis walked back up to the wall he hit and he ran his fingers along the length of the wall until he found the edge. He had been right, there was an opening. He motioned for his comrades to follow as he walked around the edge.

# # # # # # # # #

Drizzt decided to stand guard over Catti-brie instead of rush headlong into battle. Catti-brie looked up questioningly at Drizzt. He knew he couldn't give up their position so he flashed her one of the few drow hand signals that she knew well, attack.

Catti-brie's eyes went wide as the message sank in. She struggled to her feet but Drizzt's strong and lithe hands guided her back down to the ground. She looked up at him with an angry expression painted on her face but when she saw his expression it melted away quickly. All she saw in his face was concern and worry. She smiled quickly in reassurance and he grinned back.

Drizzt's attention was quickly turned back to the corner of the room when he heard something fall to the floor. Drizzt readied his scimitars as he waited for the exact moment of the attack. He heard some feet shuffling on the ground and he gripped his scimitars tighter.

He saw the silhouette of the attacker, someone short that carried a mace. Out of the shadows the attacker came. Drizzt's scimitars almost fell to the floor.

"Regis?" Drizzt whispered in disbelief. Regis was just as surprised. He quickly put his mace away and he motioned for the others to come see. Drizzt put his scimitars away and he reached down to help Catti-brie to her feet. She looked at him curiously and he smiled warmly at her.

"It is only Regis. It's alright now." He said calmly. She sighed deeply and wrapped her arms around his neck. Drizzt gladly returned the hug. Drizzt pulled back from the hug and wrapped his arm around her waist to support her as she stood up.

Bruenor was the last to emerge from behind the wall. If he still would have had his axe in his hand it would have fallen to the floor but instead his mouth dropped. He rushed over to Catti-brie and grabbed her right out of Drizzt's grasp.

"Me girl. Me girl." He muttered over and over again as he clung tightly to her, almost as if he was afraid he'd lose her again. After a moment he regained his composure and turned to Drizzt with an angry expression on his face.

"Ye durned fool elf! Runnin' off on yer own!" Bruenor whispered harshly. Drizzt just shrugged. Catti-brie came to his rescue by leaning on him supportively, which drew no further complaints from Bruenor.

Drizzt winked at Catti-brie who smiled in return. Bruenor just stood looking at his daughter and his best friend without saying a word.

"Come we should get out of here before we wear out our welcome." Drizzt whispered to his friends who stood staring at him and Catti-brie. Drizzt turned back to Catti-brie and found that she was blushing profusely. He quickly let go over her waist and grabbed her arm instead guiding her to the exit where the rest of their friends had come in.

"I am sorry." Drizzt whispered directly into Catti-brie's ear as soon as they were out of earshot from the rest of the group. She moved closer to him and she put an arm around his waist. She gently laid her head on his shoulder before she replied.

"Tis alright. Just Bruenor's stare... Have to get used to it." She chuckled softly after the last statement drawing a smile from Drizzt. The group continued on with Bruenor gaping at the sight of his adopted daughter so close to the dark elf.

I hope this hasn't become to tedious for you all... Please read and review!


	19. The Escape Plan

"We have sighted them in the lower levels sir." The drow commander reported to Entreri. Entreri nodded his head as he scratched his grizzled chin. He got up from his chair and he started to pace around the dimly lit room.

"We have to separate them. I want the girl and the drow brought back to me. The rest you may do with as you please. Just bring back the girl and the drow to me alive." Entreri finally decided after a long moment. The evil drow smiled wickedly as he left Entreri. It had been such a long time since he had been able to practice his techniques of torture...

# # # # # # # # # #

"Do you know the way you came in?" Drizzt asked Bruenor who hadn't said anything after they had found Catti-brie and Drizzt. Bruenor nodded his head as rushed ahead to lead the group. Drizzt looked over at Catti-brie who wore just about the same expression of puzzlement. Nether of them noticed Wulfgar's approach until he spoke.

"Catti-brie, are you alright? I did not have a chance to ask you back there." Both Catti-brie and Drizzt turned and looked startled by the voice.

"I'll be alright. Drizzt said that me worst injury was a couple o' broken ribs. He gave me some healin' potions so I'll be all right," Catti-brie trailed off at the end as she looked at Bruenor was way ahead of them. "I dunno if me father..." she trailed off. Wulfgar's face cracked into a big grin but he didn't have time to reply.

"Drow!!" Bruenor yelled at the top of his lungs as a handful of a drow crashed into the group. Soon there was the sound of weapons ringing against each other as Bruenor, Wulfgar and Regis worked hard to keep the enemy at bay.

"Drizzt, take Catti-brie and make a run for the end of the tunnel. We can keep them at bay." Wulfgar shouted over the roar of the clanging metal. Drizzt hoisted Catti-brie up into his strong arms and quickly made a break for the end of the tunnel.

Soon the sound of battle was fading behind them but still Drizzt ran full tilt until he cleared the tunnel. Gasping for breath he laid Catti-brie gently to the ground as he leaned up against the cold stone to rest. While they were resting neither one of them noticed the drow warrior that snuck up behind them in the darkness.

# # # # # # # # #

"We can't hold them off for ever Bruenor!" Regis shouted over the sounds of the battle. Bruenor grunted in reply as he swung his axe at the nearest drow, which nearly cleaved the creature in half.

"What do ye expect us to do then?" Bruenor asked Regis asked as he raised his axe to ward of another blow. The dwarf did seem to notice how hard it was to raise his battle-axe. It had become unusually heavy. Bruenor quickly looked around and he noticed that Wulfgar was getting really tired too. These drow were quick ad stealthy. "Ye win Regis. We need to get outta here. Do ye have a plan for us?"

# # # # # # # # # #

Catti-brie leaned back against the wall to rest. She looked up at Drizzt and she was about to thank him when a thin hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to turn around but strong arms pulled her backwards into the darkness. Drizzt turned his head when he heard the sound of the shoes being scrapped on the ground.

He started to turn around when he heard Catti-brie shriek his name. Then something hit him from behind and he slowly fell to the ground the darkness claiming his sight.

# # # # # # # # # # #

Regis is not exactly one for rational thought. In fact his plan to escape an army of drow is run away as fast as you can. That was his plan as silly as it was. Perhaps it was so corny that it might work.

"Run!!" Regis shouted at the top of his lungs. With out any rational thought, the rest of the companions did so. What did they have to loose? There was no other way out of this mess. With these thoughts in mind they ran forward towards where they had last left Drizzt and Catti-brie.

# # # # # # # # # # #

"Hurry up! We don't have much time!" The commander yelled at his group. "Let's go, bind their arms and legs, we don't need them to escape!" The drow grunted in reply as they hastily bound Drizzt's arms and legs. They roughly threw him over the shoulders of the strongest one there. The jolt caused Drizzt to wake from his stupor. He cautiously opened one eye.

Two drow were tying Catti-brie up. They finished tying her up and they slung her over the shoulders of another drow next to the one holding Drizzt. Drizzt snuck a peak at her as the drow started their march onward. She looked over at him with a mischievous grin. He looked at her puzzlingly. She opened her hands slightly and out of her hands a dagger appeared. She quickly slipped it back in her hands as the drow stopped and threw her and Drizzt to the ground.

The leader of the band shouted orders at the band ordering them back to the battle to finish off the rest of the band. They grudgingly agreed and they hurried back off to the battle, hoping they hadn't missed all of the fun. The leader and the two guards stayed behind.

The leader told the guards to stay behind and with a wave of his hands he disappeared. The guard moved closer to Catti-brie and with a wicked smile he cupped her chin in his hand. Catti-brie spat in his face and she moved closer to Drizzt. The guard angrily wiped the spit from his face. The other came at Catti-brie and lifted her up and away from Drizzt. She screamed for the guard to let her go as Drizzt shouted at him in drow. He only smiled as he tried to kiss Catti-brie. Before he knew it Catti-brie kneed him in the groin. He doubled over in pain.

Catti-brie quickly cut herself free. She pulled out Drizzt's scimitar free from her belt as she readied to fight the first guard who attempted to use her. He came at her not expecting her to be so skilled at using a sword. She quickly taught him otherwise as she slashed him clear across the stomach. He fell over quite dead. The other came at her with both swords flashing. Catti-brie quickly ran over to Drizzt and pulled out his other scimitar.

He attacked her but she counterattacked with the same amount of grace and poise. Drizzt sat by awestruck at the amazing array of skill. The drow lunged at her in what he thought to be the final attack only to find Catti-brie wasn't in front of him any longer. She had perfectly executed the "ghost step" that Drizzt had taught her. Soon the drow realized his mistake but by then it was too late, he too fell dead at her hand.

"For being in such bad shape you sure fight well!" Drizzt remarked. Catti-brie smiled as she wiped off the blood on the dead drow's cloak. She sheathed the scimitar at her hip and dropped the other one at Drizzt's feet.

"Never take advantage o' a girl!" She said determinably. He smiled and said, "Is there any way you can let me out now?" He held out his bound hands and feet to her. She giggled as she cut him free.

"Need the help o' girl, Drizzt Do'Urden?" She asked with a twinkle in her eyes. He smiled and replied, "When her name is Catti-brie, of course I do." She smiled and helped him to his feet. He pulled her close to him after he got to his feet.

"I always need you Catti." He said. With that he kissed her passionately on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him pulling him even closer. It was like she never ever wanted to let him go.

Once again I am very tardy in updating. Sorry! Begs for forgiveness The updates from now on are going to be fewer and farther between. I have to finish the story and I have school coming up. I will try to keep it as regular as possible. Thanks!


	20. The Evasion

"I think we've lost 'em!" Bruenor said as they rounded a bend. He looked back trying to discern whether or not they had actually lost the drow army or not. Wulfgar peered into the darkness trying to see for himself. Regis looked ahead of them and he started to laugh.

"Look what we have found though!" He pointed towards Catti-brie and Drizzt whose lips were still locked in a sweet embrace. Regis turned and looked around at Bruenor and Wulfgar to see their reactions. He thought Bruenor was going to either fall over and go over and attack the dark elf. Wulfgar had a smile on his face, which said that he was happy for them.

After a moment of shock, Bruenor cleared his throat loudly causing Drizzt and Catti-brie to look over his way. Drizzt tried to move away from Catti-brie but she didn't let go of him.

"Da!" She cried. Drizzt could feel his face getting hot so he knew that he was blushing. Bruenor walked over to them with out saying a word. The rest of the group followed him slowly. Bruenor took a deep breath.

"We were off fightin' a army o' drow and ye two be just sittin' here a kissin'! There be somethin' funny 'bout that idea!" Bruenor said hotly. He turned away grumbling something to himself. Regis saw him before he turned away. There was a tear in his eye. Not from sadness, that much Regis knew.

Catti-brie just chuckled at Bruenor's tirade as she laid her head down on Drizzt's shoulder. Wulfgar nodded his approval with a smile. Regis just smiled and shook his head.

"We should get going." Wulfgar stated and the group slowly began to move on.

"They have escaped the army sir." The commander of the army unhappily reported. Entreri scowled. He rolled his jeweled dagger back and forth in his hands. The moves were not quiet as deft as they had been when he had the shard in his possession, but they were still dangerous enough.

"What do you mean they, escaped? They got away from an army of forty drow warriors?! How is that possible?!" Entreri screamed at the commander who winced at his every word. "Which way did they go?" Entreri asked finally getting some kind of grip on his anger.

"They went to the south, towards the exit of the tunnels my liege." The commander remarked. Entreri turned away from the commander to the wooden desk in the room. He unrolled a piece of parchment that detailed the fortress and the surrounding labyrinth.

"They went this way." The commander said pointing to a series of twisting and winding corridors that was almost unnavigable without a map. Entreri grinned in pleasure. He had them caught in a literal corner. The exit was nearby, but it was almost impossible to find. He could cut them off in the middle of all of the tunnels. It was time to get back what was rightfully his.

The group trudged on for several hours without a complaint from anyone. Catti-brie leaned heavily on Drizzt for support partly because her leg was swelling and partly because she wanted to be as close to him as possible. Drizzt in turn didn't seem to mind the company either. Bruenor lead the group not wanting to see his daughter so close to his best friend. Wulfgar followed closely behind with Regis right next to him.

After several hours, Bruenor decided to stop for the night. There were no complaints from the rest of the companions and Drizzt agreed to keep watch. The companions all quickly went to sleep. Drizzt kept a watchful eye on them with a small smile on his lips. He walked over to Catti-brie and gently ran his hand on her cheek. She stirred a little and then she slowly opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry Catti, I didn't mean to wake you." Drizzt said as his face flushed a deep crimson color. She smiled as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. She kissed him gently on lips.

"Tis alright. I'm always glad ta see yer face." She whispered. He flushed even deeper as he sat down next to her. She leaned over on his shoulder quickly drifting back off to sleep. He smiled; as he looked at her beautiful face so close to him. He sighed softly and soon fell to sleep right along with her.

Unknown to the companions the drow where quickly cutting off any escape route for the companions. They would soon be in grave trouble.

Catti-brie stirred a little which caused Drizzt to suddenly jerk awake. He looked over at Catti-brie to see what was the matter. She was still asleep but her face was locked in a grimace. He gently shook her awake to make sure she was all right. She woke up, but the look of pain only intensified on her face.

"Are you okay?" Drizzt said with concern coming out in his voice. She smiled a quick smile in assurance, but looked at her hands, which were very swollen.

"It be me hands." She said with out really needing to. Drizzt nodded his head grimly as he took her hands gently in his own. She winced slightly but she didn't pull back from his touch. Drizzt nodded and he let go off her hands as he reached for his knapsack.

He produced a vial that was filled with a liquid of the most peculiar color green. She looked at the vial and then at him quizzically. He smiled and moved in closer to her.

"This should reduce the pain and the swelling. It may not taste the greatest but it will help." He said as he held the vial up to her lips. She tentatively began drinking it. He wasn't kidding about it tasting bad. The taste alone made her want to vomit, but the texture made it even worse.

As soon as a quarter of the vial was drained Drizzt pulled it back from her. He recorked it and put it back in his knapsack. Catti-brie's face was still all screwed up as if she had bitten into something sour.

"Good?" Drizzt asked sarcastically with his trademark chuckle. She looked at him with a look that could kill. He smiled and hugged her. He reached over into his knapsack producing an apple. He took a bite out of it and held it up for her to take a bite. She took it out of his hands and she quickly took a bite to wash away the nasty taste of the green liquid.

He smiled as he watched her eat the apple quickly. "Is that the best thing you've ever tasted?" Drizzt asked. She painted a frown on her face, which caused him to chuckle. She put the finished apple down and she crawled over to him and sat in his lap. She kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"Me thanks, Drizzt," she said as she pulled away from the kiss. Drizzt wrapped his arms about her waist. "I don't believe I am fully repaid," Drizzt whispered as he kissed her softly but urgently on the lips. She smiled at him as she pulled back from their kiss.

"I believe I have paid ye back in full." She said as she curled up more comfortably in his lap. He laughed at her as he wrapped his arms around her just enjoying his company.

I am such a sucker for the mushy moments! The action does pick up soon after this though. Please read and review. Let me know what you think!!


	21. The Ambush

Drizzt roused the rest of the companions early. There was much grumbling from Bruenor, but the others quickly rose to their feet. They quickly packed their things and hurried along after Drizzt and Catti-brie who lead the way.

"I believe that we are getting close to the exit. The air is changing. I can feel it." Drizzt said to the companions as they continued to trudge along. Bruenor nodded his head in agreement. He could detect the subtle change also.

"I believe we should go this way." Bruenor pointed his knobby finger in an easterly direction. Drizzt nodded his head in agreement and he began to continue forward. They marched along in the direction until they were climbing up a steep incline. This was a sure sign that they were nearing the end.

"We have the perimeter surrounded. They have no way out." A drow commander reported to Entreri with a salute of his hand. Entreri smiled thinly. They had walked straight into his trap. He would have his revenge once and for all!

"Look, Drizzt! I see some light straight up ahead! We be almost there!" Catti-brie said with great enthusiasm as she pulled on Drizzt's shirtsleeve. He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly. Their nightmare was almost over.

"What was that Drizzt? Was that you?" Regis asked out loud. Drizzt quickly turned around in Regis' direction just in time to see a black hand cover his mouth and pull him back into the darkness. Drizzt quickly switched his eyes from the light spectrum to the infrared spectrum, but it did no good. The drow were all well concealed under their cloaks.

Drizzt put one arm protectively around Catti-brie's waist and pulled out a scimitar with the other. Bruenor and Wulfgar quickly circled with Drizzt and Catti-brie. Before they knew what was happening the room lit up with a strange bluish glow. Faire fire. When their eyes all finally adjusted the companions looked around each other. They were hopelessly out-numbered and surrounded.

"They wanted me." Drizzt muttered as he started to step away from the group but Catti-brie grabbed his wrist holding him back. He looked at her with confusion and with a hint of anger, but she only matched his glare.

"We stay together 'til the very end." Catti-brie said with a cool calm demeanor. Bruenor nodded his head and Wulfgar laid his hand on Drizzt's shoulder. This may be their last fight but they were going to stick together no matter what.

"I have found you at last my rival." Entreri spat with distain as he stepped out from among the drow. He pulled out his sword and his trademark dagger as he approached Drizzt.

"I have waited many long years for this Drizzt Do'Urden. We shall finally settle the score, and you will pay for the pain that you have caused me." Entreri stated flatly. He snapped his fingers and several drow soldiers stepped forward.

Drizzt quickly pushed his friends behind him as he menacing drew out his scimitars. The drow that Entreri had called forth had stalked forward with their swords raised. Drizzt quickly eyed them before they attacked.

Drizzt had his scimitars spinning in the air and then coming down in great arcs on his opponents. The drow were not stupid however and they quickly sidestepped Drizzt's powerful blows. One quickly stabbed inwards towards Drizzt, hoping to get the first blood. Drizzt had anticipated this and he swung Twinkle out to intercept the intended blow. The parry rang strong and true as the battle continued.

They continued the battle with no one scoring a hit. It was a dance of inevitable death, one that would end eventually. They raced back in forth in dizzying circles, one always managing to keep the other at bay.

Catti-brie could stand it no longer. She couldn't just stand by and watch Drizzt fight until he wore out. Catti-brie grabbed Cutter out of Wulfgar's knapsack and she drove right into the battle. This caught everyone's surprise. The battle abruptly stopped and soon Catti-brie and Drizzt were standing back to back.

"What are you doing Catti? You can't fight in your condition!" Drizzt said with concern. Catti-brie just smiled. The two drow looked at each other and then sneered in Catti-brie's direction. Soon the battle resumed.

Catti-brie and Drizzt swirled their weapons in perfect harmony. They were very acustomed to each others fighting styles, which gave them a very distinct advantage over the drow. Drizzt quickly cut down one of the drow while Catti-brie stabbed the other in the heart.

"Well done, but as you see I have a quite dispensable army at my fingertips. Do you think you could take them all on brave Drizzt Do'Urden?" Entreri asked in an amused tone. Drizzt looked at him with distain.

"It is I that you want Entreri so why do you not just cut me down as we speak? Leave my friends out of this. It is between you and I." Drizzt said to Entreri. Entreri looked at him and laughed.

"You have got to be joking. I will enjoy this minute by minute. I will make sure you suffer thoroughly before I am through with you. But, before this all begins I believe that you have something that belongs to me." Drizzt looked at him with as much confusion as he could possibly muster.

"I have no idea of what you speak. I am not one proane to stealing like a low life such as yourself." Drizzt managed to sneer out.

Entreri couldn't stand the humiliation that this drow was dishing out any longer. With a fierce growl Entreri drew out his sword and dagger. He stalked menacing towards Drizzt.

"We will settle this Drizzt Do Urden." With a fury of movement Entreri lashed out and dragged Catti-brie with him. Drizzt hurried forward in surprise, but his advance was stopped short when Entreri put his dagger up to her neck.

"I have waited a long time for this moment. I have longed to see you suffer." Slowly and surley Entreri dragged the knife across Catti-brie's throat, drawing a thin line of blood in its wake. Catti-brie cried out in pain as she tried to get away, but Entreri's grip was relentless.

Drizzt surged forward and attacked Entreri with hasty abandon. "Let her go! Let her go!" He shouted in both his native tongue and in common. Entreri laughed and threw her to the ground at Drizzt's approach. The drow surrounding the group pulled Catti-brie up and into their protective circle.

Okay, folks, this about it. I really don't have anymore written so this is going to be it for a while. I have been really busy with school and I haven't had time to write. Sorry!! I hope this chapter keeps you hooked however. Thanks again to all my kind reviewers! Please continue giving me the feedback. I may write faster then…


	22. The Final Confrontation

Bruenor cried out in anguish and he leapt forward into the drow army hacking away with his ax. He was soon overwhelmed by the drow's sheer numbers and he fell victim to their attacks. The attacks were not designed to kill but just incapacitate. Bruenor slumped to the ground soon after in the army of drow.

Entreri laughed as Drizzt continued to fight him with out any really abandon. "Feel the pain Drizzt Do'Urden. Feel the agony! I will prove once and for all that I am the ultimate swordsman!" Entreri shouted with an evil cackle. The two continued to fight each other brilliantly in deadly arching circles back and forth.

While this battle was raging on, Jarlaxle slipped in and out of the shadows whispering orders to his troops. They nodded in agreement as he went down the ranks. Now was the time to act!

* * *

Catti-brie woke up and looked around in confusion. The last thing that she remembered was Drizzt and Entreri fighting. Drizzt! She quickly tried to get up, but found her leg shackled to the ground. She vainly tried to slip out of it but she only managed to cut the cuff into her ankle deeper. Giving up she looked around the room. On the wall opposite of her was Wulfgar hung up in shackles. She called out to him quietly and he lifted his head up quickly.

"You're awake! Thank the gods! I thought that they had killed you!" Wulfgar whispered excitedly. "Then tell me what happened!" Catti-brie whispered back. They were quickly interrupted as the door creaked open. Both Catti-brie and Wulfgar's heads snapped in the general direction.

Jarlaxle put a finger to his lips to silence them. Catti-brie looked at Wulfgar, who just returned her blank stare. What did they have to lose?

"I know where Drizzt is. Perhaps you would like to help me?" Jarlaxle said coyly. Catti-brie glared at him and she gestured to the shackles that bound her and Wulfgar. Jarlaxle grinned, a white smile stretching across his ebony features and with a snap of his fingers the shackles feel away. Catti-brie rubbed her ankle and Wulfgar rubbed his wrist.

"Well were is he?" Catti-brie whispered harshly at Jarlaxle. He smiled before he even bothered to answer her.

"Allow me." Was his cryptic answer. With another movement of his wrist they were standing in another dungeon. Catti-brie looked over and saw Drizzt slouched down on the floor. His head was buried deep on his chest and he wasn't moving. Without even thinking, Catti-brie rushed over to Drizzt's aid.

She got half-way there before she smashed into some invisible force. She clawed desperately at the invisible force trying to get around it to no avail. Jarlaxle and Wulfgar looked around trying to find the magic welder.

"Just as I had planned, I knew I would find you hear." Entreri purred as he appeared with Bruenor in tow. "Finally he will get what he deserved." Entreri muttered menacingly. "Catti-brie, Wulfgar I do not know how you got out but it matters not to me. I have you all together…" He trailed off.

Jarlaxle moved back into the shadows and he waited patiently. His hand went into his pocket fingering a small pouch. Hopefully this would work…

* * *

"Let him go!" Catti-brie screamed at Entreri. Entreri threw back his head in a vicious laugh. He pushed Bruenor over to Catti-brie and Wulfgar.

"Why in the world would I wish to do a thing like that?" He grinned menacingly at them as he produced his jeweled dagger and aimed it directly at Drizzt's neck. Catti-brie opened her mouth in a look of pure terror and Wulfgar was clenching his teeth. Bruenor was too weak to even look up.

Entreri released Drizzt from his chains. Drizzt fell to the floor, his legs refusing to even support him. Catti-brie cried out again and tried to rush forward but Wulfgar's strong grasp prevented her from doing so. Entreri grinned madly at their display of restraint. His eyes were shinning with an inner madness that couldn't be completely described. He kicked Drizzt solidly in the ribs and he laughed some more.

"Hurry Regis!" Jarlaxle whispered into the darkness at Regis. Regis nodded and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He dried his hand and grabbed the drow crossbow. He took a deep breath and leveled it at Entreri. It was now or never. With a quiet 'sprong' the dart shot through the air at Entreri.

* * *

Catti-brie watched with surprise as Entreri fell to the ground at Drizzt's feet. What had just happened? She rushed to Drizzt's aide and she pulled him back from Entreri.

"Are you alright? Drizzt? Drizzt!" Catti-brie said to the prone drow. He grabbed her hand and smiled without saying anything. Catti-brie's heart just about burst at that moment.

Regis stepped out of shadows with Jarlaxle in tow at that moment. Jarlaxle grinned and patted Regis on the shoulder.

"Regis!" Wulfgar cried as he grabbed the Halfling's arm. Regis smiled nervously, still not quite sure what had just happened or what was going on. Jarlaxle pulled up the crumpled body of Entreri into a sitting position.

"I know that you can hear me Entreri, and I want you to listen well. You have accomplished nothing out of pursuing Drizzt. Your skill with the blade is equal to Drizzt's. Neither one of you are better than the other. Let it lie. You and I have bigger things to accomplish." Jarlaxle stated calmly, all the while watching Entreri's eyes. The maddening glare that they previously held had dissipated and now they looked on in the room with a look of understanding and acceptance.

"The potion will wear off within three hours." With that Jarlaxle left Entreri's side to go over to the companions of the hall.

"I charge you with the duty of destroying that benevolent crystal. It has caused everyone so much turmoil. Be rid of it. I wish you the best of luck." Jarlaxle smiled at them.

"I will never understand him." Drizzt whispered. Catti-brie looked at him and nodded. Bruenor stirred for the first time and looked at Catti-brie and Drizzt.

"Ye good fer nothin' drow! Let's get outta here!" He shouted as he slowly climbed to his feet. Wulfgar nodded his head and head and he helped Regis and Wulfgar make their way out. Catti-brie wrapped a supporting arm around Drizzt's waist and they slowly made their way out.

* * *

Several months had passed by since that fateful day and the wounds that they all had suffered were finally on the mend. Drizzt was perched on his usual rock watching the sun peak up over the hilly mountain side, only this time he had company.

"Drizzt, I love you." Catti-brie murmured into his arms as he held her close to him. Drizzt smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I love you too, Catti-brie." She smiled and the two watched the sun rise over the hill. Everything was perfect. Drizzt couldn't have asked for a better moment. Finally things in his life were turning for the good.

"Drizzt! Catti-brie! Get yer arses down here!" A sharp dwarven voice shouted over their sweet moment. Drizzt sighed heavily and Catti-brie giggled. He looked down at her and she smiled innocently back at him.

"I suppose that we should go down and see what he wants." Drizzt said as he started to untangle himself from Catti-brie's sweet embrace, but she held him firm. He looked at her questioningly and she pulled him down to her and kissed him. He pulled away after a moment with a smile.

"I guess we're ready now." She said with a quick grin. She pulled Drizzt up and grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of her adopted father's voice. "Come on ye lazybones." She smiled widely and dragged him along the beaten path.

"It's about time ye two!" Wulfgar said as he packed more supplies into his pack. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt.

"Where are we going?" Catti-brie asked with confusion. Bruenor let out a huge belly laugh at her seemingly ridiculous question.

"Why, to take care o' the shard! Come on ye two! Let's go!" Wulfgar huffed. He started off down the road with Regis and Wulfgar following closely behind. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt again.

"Well, let's be off." Drizzt grabbed Catti-brie's hand and they wandered off down the trail with the rest of their companions.

(Finally) THE END!

* * *

Wow, it sure has taken me long enough to finish this! Sorry guys. Please review and tell me what you thought. I live for comments. (Yeah, so that may be an overstatement…) Thanks everyone! 


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